A twist to Twilight
by Marlaike
Summary: Carlisle had a daughter while still human. She witnessed the vampire attack her father and years later searched for him, but instead of finding him, she found the same fate as her father. But as a human she had a gift, the gift of self-healing. See what happens when that gift is combined with vampire venom.
1. Chapter 1

**Twilight does not belong to me, except my character  
**

_**Carlisle had a daughter who had the ability to heal. When she was eighteen, about ten years after Carlisle disappeared, she was also bitten by a vampire a few years after Carlisle himself. But the thing is, her ability is rejecting the vampire venom in her system, but the venom is too strong for her ability to heal and after a few weeks into her painful transition, her ability to heal merged with the venom and now she has become a hybrid; part-human, part-vampire, not unlike those who were born hybrids**_.

**Chapter 1:**

**Althea POV**

"Father, where are you going?" I ask my father, who is the son of an Anglican Pastor. My father is supposed to step into my grandfather's role one day, and as such he has to go on supernatural hunts more often.

I know my father wants to help others, he has told me so often enough. And he knows that many innocent people get hurt because of these hunts. During this time period many people died, not only because of religion but because of the Civil war that has happened in our country.

"I am going out on a hunt for your grandfather. I want you to stay here Althea. Please do not follow me again. I do not wish for the town to think you are a witch or a harlot, you know how these people get" my father tells me and I nod at him, but I was going to follow him anyway.

All I could think was, _What if those vampires, witches or werewolves come hurt my father?_

Later that evening my father led a hunt for vampires by the London sewers. _He actually found them_. I think in disbelief. I watch as the vampires flee faster than what the eye could see.

A man and a woman, both with red eyes stopped right next to one of the sewer entrances, they look frantic and so beautiful at the same time, _Well, as frantic as dark creatures can look I suppose._

They speak so fast, I can barely even make out what they are saying. They were speaking about where they were going to hide now and in the blink of an eye, both of them scattered.

I was hidden behind a few trees close to the entrance. No one noticed me, luckily.

A white blur came running past where I was hiding, and I see my father chasing it. He trips over a brick, falls down with the torch in his hand. I want to run to my father, the blur stops, and I see a man, one like the other two, a monster who turns around and attacks my father , biting into his neck in a matter of seconds. And then he left just as fast as the others did.

My father was laying there, barely moving, whimpering in pain. I had to go to him.

"Father!" I call out frantically, falling down at his side.

"No...no, it's not safe here Althea, you must leave. I am dying," my father says, his voice quivering.

"No, I am not leaving you. You can't go. What can I do to help you?" I ask him desperately.

"I am burning up," he whimpers. "Your grandfather cannot find me like this. Help me hide daughter" he implores.

And I did, I helped him. My eight year old self helped my father to a potato cellar close by. And after he begged me to leave him, I eventually did.

My grandfather continued to raised me, until I became a young independent woman...just kidding, independence did not exist back then for a woman. I was promised to the son of one of the city officials.

I resented the idea of having a family. Of becoming a wife and a mother. I was twelve at the time when I discovered that I was betrothed to another boy. I was frightened and my grandfather had resented me ever since my father married my mother at a young age. My mother and father were both fifteen at the time, madly in love. They married in secret. And you see, my mother was born in London but her family came from Greece. My mother died when I was a toddler from the plague and my father had to take raise me until the unfortunate vampire incident.

My mother, the little I can remember of her, was very beautiful and had brown hair with green eyes. My father had blonde hair and blue eyes. I look mostly like my mum, I had her face shape, high cheek bones, and eye colour, while I had my father's blond hair, his smile and eye shape.

I was born in 1655, in 1663 my father disappeared. At the age of eleven, a tragedy struck London and thousands of people lost their lives and homes in 1666 as the Great Fire ravaged the city. But I survived through a miracle. I discovered at this age that I healed incredibly fast. I thought it was witchcraft and a curse was placed upon me, _or was it a blessing?_ I kept this secret in fear of my own family.

My grandfather's church burned down, and I was inside cleaning the pews when it happened. I heard the screams of the people and I stayed in the church as the surrounding homes burnt. And then the church caught on fire, I stayed hidden under one of the pews, I prayed and when the ceiling started caving in I ran for the exit, when one of the beams fell on my arm and it broke. I cried out in pain. The fire spread quickly and I tried to escape but the fire was everywhere. I burned that day. I died. And it was horrible.

And I healed. All of my injuries healed, I left without a scar on my body. All I had was the reminder of the pain I faced and the pain I might face if someone found out and wanted to burn me as a witch.

After this ordeal I noticed that no matter what, I still healed, over and over. Cuts, scrapes and bruises were gone in moments.

In 1673 I was turned into a vampire. I was eighteen, about to be married off to a man I clearly disliked. I didn't want to be a vampire, but I also didn't want to be married off to someone who likes to sleep with various girls in town.

So I hatched a plan to search for those vampires. I searched for my father. He was the only one who could stop this marriage from happening. My father would help me, I know I won't make it far on my own if I ran away but I have to try.

I remembered those two vampires, the man and woman, they spoke about where to go. It's still in London, and I have a vague idea of where they might be living. I searched for them for months. And I found them, well...they spotted me spying on them.

"What do we have here?" the familiar vampire woman asks with a sneer on her face.

I gulp, fear evident in my eyes.

"Look, my love, she is frightened" The man says to the woman amused, surrounding my like a predators ready to attack.

"Please don't kill me...I...I am only looking for my father" I tell them, stuttering in fright.

"And what makes you think that you will find him here child?" She asks. Her voice sounds so melodic and threatening at the same time.

"He was attacked, many years ago by a vampire. I witnessed it. I saw you and that man," I say, pointing to the male vampire, "talking about a safe place, you moved so fast ,and in less than a moment you were gone. But my father was chasing another vampire and he attacked my father. My...my father survived the attack. I am looking for him" I tell them quickly, hoping that these creatures could help me find him.

"This is a surprising turn of events, wouldn't you say so my love?" The man says to the woman.

"Indeed it is. Girl, how sure are you that your father is still alive?" she asks me.

"I am certain miss" I tell her.

"What is his name?"

"Carlisle, Carlisle Cullen.

"And what is your name?" She asks.

"Althea Cullen"

What shall we do sweetheart? Rules are rules" she says thoughtfully to that man.

"I know love, rules are rules. But maybe we should give her a chance to find her father? Or maybe we should just end her? The Cullens have hunted us for decades, maybe it's time for a little revenge" He replies sadistically, referring to my family's involvement in hunting them down.

I know I have that healing power but this is frightening. Maybe I won't survive because it would be a supernatural creature attacking me.

"I am thirsty," the woman states looking at the man and then back at me saying, "sorry darling, this is nothing personal towards you. I would love to help you, but you see, a human knowing about us puts our lives at risk from the kings. But don't worry, it'll be a quick death for you."

She drained me that day. She thought I died. I did, but my healing kicked in and I was brought back to life, but her venom was in my body.

**No one POV**

The vampires drained Althea together, and she died quickly.

The vampire woman, Belinda and her mate, Johnathan looked down at the body of the young girl they just killed. The woman feeling slightly guilty for the death she caused to someone so young, the life she took, but this is how things were.

"We must get rid of her body soon," her mate tells her.

"I agree, we will do it tomorrow evening as soon as the sun sets" she replies.

All of a sudden the dead girl jerks and inhales a deep breath of air. And as she exhales she gives an ungodly scream that comes with the transition of vampirism.

Belinda and Johnathan looks at her in shock. "This is not possible, she didn't have a heartbeat," Belinda states and her mate agreed with her.

Johnathan then snapped Althea's neck and the screaming stopped. There was no heart beat present. They stare at the girl's body for a few seconds more. And then Althea wakes up again with a gasp for air, followed with screaming.

"This is not normal," Johnathan says disturbed.

"How is this happening?" Belinda asks bewildered.

They snapped her neck again and again, and every time she came back to life.

"STOP!" Althea yells out after the fourth time that they killed her.

"Please! Stop killing me. It will never work!" She yells out, crying out in agony. She tries to control her breathing, and in turn to subdue her voice, so that she would no longer be screaming out after every breath taken.

"Why won't it work? Why won't you die?" Belinda asks.

Althea takes a deep breath in, and out, "Because I've been cursed. I can never die. I can only heal. No matter what, I always heal"

"How is this possible, at such a young age, as a human? It must be a special gift?" Johnathan wonders.

"Yes. I wonder what will happen with her ability when she turns into a vampire. She cannot heal from this," Belinda responds.

"That's if she makes it through the transition. What if she is in a constant state of healing and never transitions?" Johnathan says too soft for Althea to hear. He looks at Althea and says,

"Girl...Althea, you are in transition, you will become a vampire within the next three days. We do not know how your healing ability will affect you as a vampire. But we will help you, show you our way of life and teach you the rules. Then you will leave us be and find your father".

Three weeks later her change was complete. She did not look like the average vampire. Her skin was not as pale as that of a vampire's, it was as hard as that of the average vampire but it did not feel like it to the touch and neither did it look it. Her skin did not look like thousands of diamonds scattered all over her body, instead she looked like she had a healthy glow to it, unnoticeable by humans. Her eyes were still green but with red specks in them. They discovered that she was not as strong or as fast as the average vampire but she could still win in a fight if she eventually learned how to defend herself.

Johnathan and Belinda unwittingly became her guardians, her parents for over two decades. Belinda had the experience she always wanted: motherhood. Unexpected motherhood.

They did not expect Althea's change to be so long, and different. They did not expect Althea to become a hybrid. What they expected was that they would teach her about vampirism and the laws and leave her to her own mercies. But fate had a different plan and Belinda and Johnathan did not care what it was, they experienced something that they didn't know they needed. The bond of family.

Althea was noticeably upset when she finally changed. But she barely felt any different. She was still herself. She was not the monster she thought she would become.

She was a hybrid. She could eat human food and drink vampire blood. She did have terrible cravings in the beginning but the venom in her body absorbed her own blood and was always sated because of the healing factor.

Althea could still sleep, but rarely did she do so. She had no need for sleep. She had no need to eat even if she had cravings. She had no need to stay in the dark like the other vampires around her.

All three of them became inseparable for the first few years of Althea's new life. Johnathan taught her how to not only defend herself but to win in a fight. He said that he was a knight from the 13th century era, he too was turned by accident from a roaming vampire on the battle field.

A few years later he met Belinda and at first glance, they were taken with each other.

Belinda went to Althea one evening and told her about her father. There was word that he was in Italy, studying there, and living with the kings of the Vampire world. Belinda and Johnathan warned her against approaching the Volturi because they were so power hungry and she could make the perfect soldier, one that cannot die.

Althea knew that she must not get involved with them yet, even though she wishes dearly to see her father. She has waited two decades so far, and she can wait many years more before she sees him again. At the moment she was content with where she was and enjoyed Belinda's company.

Time passed differently for her as a vampire than when she was fully human. It felt that in the blink of an eye a year passed. And another and another. It frustrated her that she lost time. She expressed her desire to leave and explore the world before finding her father, he was still staying with the Volturi at this point. Belinda and Johnathan were sad and reluctant to let her go but let her be.

Althea explored the world. She left for India. She snuck on board a ship heading for India. No one knew she was there. She explored India, learned one of the many languages that they had in the South. She then left for Thailand, Burma and the Philippines. And then returned to visit Belinda and Johnathan after her visit in the Scandinavian countries.

She left a few months after that to go to Spain. She travelled so much during these decades and discovered not only vampires, Vampire hybrids, and werewolves, she came across wendigoes in Thailand, she stumbled into a community of shape-shifting Tigers in India. In the Philippines she came across mermaids as there are thousands of islands, and one island practically houses the mermaids, they could live above land and in water, true hybrids of their own right. And her few discoveries were just the beginning.

Althea did not make mention of any of these creatures to Belinda or Johnathan after her visit in Spain. They received word from Alistair, a sort-of friend of my father who is a Vampire Hermit, and an old friend of Johnathan, that my father is heading out to the new world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Althea POV**

I never realized how much time had passed after all these years. It was over a century. It's now 1793, My father is leaving Europe and I have to find him before he leaves. We can go together if he wants. I am not sure how he will receive me, If he will welcome me or not.

Johnathan and Belinda were sad to see me leave, I was as well. I promised that I would visit every few years. I then left then to find my father.

Alistair mentioned that he would leave on one of the ships in a few days, but could not give an exact day.

I studied the ships and the flimsy paperwork that the dock manager had, I knew all the ships by now coming and going.

At night I would wait by the docks and I sneaked a look at the current ship registry for those who would be leaving on the particular ships docked for the moment. I finally found his name, and I had to wait one more day.

I spotted him immediately the next day. I was there fairly early, meaning the whole day. He was there two hours before departure, it was pouring down cats and dogs. I was drenched from head to toe.

I walked towards him. "Hello" I greeted.

He looked confused. "Hello? Can I help you?" He replies unsure. I know it's because I smell different than the average vampire.

I feel dejected, "Do you know who I am?" I ask him.

"No...should I? Are you a vampire? You look familiar" he says confused, his brows furrowed.

"I...I...You don't remember me. I searched for you for so many years. And you don't remember me!" I tell him, raising my voice in the end.

"I'm sorry, you might have mistaken me for someone else" he tells me.

"No I have not. Your name is Carlisle Cullen. Your father was Samuel Cullen. You were married to a woman who bore your child, whom was named Althea Cullen," I tell him feeling angry that he doesn't remember.

"I'm sorry...how do you know this? Why are you looking for me specifically?" he asks suspiciously.

"My name is Althea Cullen. I am your daughter."

"This is not possible. I don't remember having a daughter and if I did have one, she would have been dead by now already. Who are you?" He asks, this time grabbing my hand firmly.

I sigh exasperated. "Great" I say sarcastically. "You don't remember your eight year old daughter dragging you to the potato cellar after being bitten by a vampire."

It finally looks like a light struck his eyes and he could see the truth.

"Althea" he breathes out says.

"I remember now. Not much, but I remember you" He rubs his temples, not that that is necessary for a vampire but I guess it's a habit.

"How are you alive?" he asks me, "why do you smell so strange?"

"Well, it's time to board the ship. How about we talk about it on the way to the new world," I tell him.

And off we set. I told him all about me, about my change and healing abilities. He was fascinated by it all. He in turn spoke about his studies and that he is pursuing studies of a medical practitioner, as a doctor. I told him about Johnathan and Belinda and how they took care of me for years even though they changed me by accident.

He spoke about the people he met. He even met Isaac Newton at one point. He met the Vampire Kings: Aro, Marcus and Caius.

My father started to remember a bit more about me and our life together as humans.

My father has amazing self-control especially on a ship filled with humans for three weeks. I told him that even me who barely had a need to feed found it difficult to concentrate because they all smelled wonderful.

My father was worried about that and it started another round of discussions about what I ate (Who I ate).

I have killed people before. I was still young and inexperienced and Johnathan practically forced that man's throat into my mouth. He did that a couple of times after I refused to eat. And sometimes when a human's behaviour was inappropriate towards me or other women, I would enjoy their blood and screams in that moment and then feel guilty about it afterwards.

I've killed a total of twenty six people in all my life, although some of them weren't normal people. I was forced to defend myself after they attacked.

When we were close to land, my father and I got off the boat and swam the rest of the way. He hunted and I watched on disgusted at the smell of animal blood.

"Try it" he encourages.

"No" I refused. I can eat human food, and certain human foods I've realized I struggle to digest, such as bread and cake and almost anything with flour in it. I can eat meat but it has to be almost bloody and even that was just a tad bit disgusting. I could drink milk just fine and eat butter, I ate some vegetables and fruits. Pineapple was the best so far. My father looks at me in disgust every time I consume human food.

"Try it" I tell him smirking.

"No" he refused.

During the few years that I stayed with my father I studied and he taught me a lot. But I became restless. And so in 1843 I started to travel again. My father was not too happy about it, but I convinced him that I did it for a century before him, he felt obliged to travel with but I convinced, or his work convinced him to stay because of his medical expertise in the small town. I did send him letters though when I got the chance. And every few years his address would change which by then if I didn't know where he was going to stay, then I couldn't write him. But he normally would let me know if he moved somewhere else if possible.

I left for South America, I met the most interesting vampires and hybrids there, as well as a tribe of Jaguar shape-shifters. This was so amazing, although they did try to kill me as soon as they found out that I was part vampire. I learned Portuguese and already spoke Spanish so it was easier to learn the language. South America had a fascinating history, especially a supernatural one.

There was a legend in a remote village I visited, about a cure for immortality. What a joke! I found the legendary place, sneaked inside and found nothing.

**3rd person POV**

Althea traveled to many places after leaving her father in North America. She came across an ancient Mayan temple that was rumored to have the cure to immortality. She went inside and thought she found nothing. She looked around, drew everything she saw of the room, all the symbols to study, the ancient languages, but found no potion for immortality. Unknown to her, the Mayans hid the cure in the most unnoticeable places, under one of the many rocks scattered all around her. The cure would have worked had she found it. She would have been cured of vampirism, for that was what it was intended for, to cure vampirism, it cannot cure her of her own ability to heal. And as such she will forever remain immortal. Not even being ripped apart and burned would kill her. She will always survive.

But she never looked under the rocks and as such will always remain a vampire hybrid with the ability to never stay dead too long.

She went back to London to visit Belinda and Johnathan. They were all too happy to see her. She spent over a year there and the set off for Egypt as her father spoke about the friend he made there, Amun.

Amun was surprised to say the least when he met her. "My name is Althea Cullen. I am Carlisle's daughter. He spoke highly of you and I wanted to visit."

Amun was not amused, especially not in the beginning and when he had found Benjamin, a new born vampire with extraordinary abilities, he was afraid of what Althea would bring to his doorstep.

She assured him that his secret is safe with her. She learned under Amun's tutelage Arabic and the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Benjamin enjoyed spending time with her as well. He didn't have to be alone anymore, locked up in his room for days on end. She stayed for a few months, Benjamin and even Tebi enjoyed their time together and she even taught Benjamin how to speak proper English.

_I am going home. Finally! _she thought, she has been traveling now for a decade and her father misses her like she missed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Althea POV**

It's 1854, I arrived safely in America. It's difficult being a woman in America, and in England and everywhere else. These people and all their etiquette rules. I can't even go to a university because I am a woman and we are supposed to be illiterate and our only job is to be a wife and mother.

This is why I prefer to travel and especially to the Supernatural communities. If only you had seen those women shapeshifters in South America.

I told my father about some of the communities I have seen and he couldn't believe that I actually found some. He is as old as me but he has not even met a werewolf before.

I stayed with my father for another few decades. We had a lot of fun together. I even hunted animals with him from time to time to his amusement and my own horror. I went back to London twice in that time to visit Johnathan and Belinda, my dad came with the last time and finally met them for the first time. They got along well.

My father and I travelled to Denali in Alaska in 1860 because of the small communities in the area as well as the amazing weather that allows my father to walk out during the day time. This is when he and I met Tanya, Kate and Irena, and discovered their diet was the same as ours.

They were shocked when they found out I was a hybrid vampire, but curious at the same time. I got along with all of them. I loved Irena the most though, even if she and the rest of them tried to seduce my father into their beds. I shiver just thinking about it.

When the twentieth century came, we moved to Chicago. I went to University but faced a lot of scrutiny from the people there, men and women alike.

_My father is lonely_. I realize this. He needs someone he can love in a romantic setting, like what Belinda and Johnathan have. I could see the longing in his eyes when he gazed upon them. Even I get that way sometimes. I wish I could just fall in love but its not meant to be at this time.

In 1915 I told my father that I was leaving again to travel. I wanted to visit those supernatural communities again that I met over the centuries. He was sad once again that I left and I completely understood, travelling is great, meeting people is wonderful, but doing it alone is lonely.

About two years prior to when I left, we spoke about maybe changing someone, that it could be a possibility for him to have a companion, whether romantic or platonic so that he did not have to be alone anymore, especially during the times that I travel. My father was reluctant about this, he hates putting anyone in pain, adding the fear of killing someone if his control slips.

"Father, I want you to be happy. You deserve someone who can make you happy. I wouldn't mind gaining a mother" I tell him jokingly. I still kept my English accent even though my father has changed his to match those around him, except when he speaks to me. I find it hilarious that in one moment he can speak to one of the nurses in an American accent and then change to our old English accent as soon as he speaks with me. The nurses he works with finds is strange and I love to laugh at their expressions.

"I wouldn't mind gaining another family member," my father admits, "it becomes lonely if you aren't here".

"I'm sorry father. I can stay if you want. You can also travel with me. I enjoyed our last trip very much."

"I would love to, but with the rising influenza starting, I can't leave now, there is a shortage of doctors," he tells me, furrowing his brows.

_My father the hero. They aren't even his responsibility but he still wants to help. He owes them nothing. Argh, sometimes I wish he wasn't so giving. I wish he could travel with me._

So I left, I went back to South America, visited Zafrina and her sister. I met up with these two hybrid girls I met a few years ago, and met the brother and his full vampire aunt.

It was another year of exploring in South America. I even went swimming and swam with a shark or three. Wrestling sharks are fun, they might be fast in the water but I am faster and stronger.

I left to go to Sweden, and Russia, I tracked all the way up to India. I sent my letters to my father. And have received none back. It's not like he knows exactly where to write to. I sometimes give him my address but because I am constantly on the move it's difficult to write. I think I should go home soon. It's been five years.

I spent some time with the Tiger shifters until they got on my nerves and I left them. I went to the wendigo community in Thailand. They are unfortunately still there. I don't like them much. They freak me out. They look completely normal until your last moments on Earth. I was attacked by one that first time I came here and I ripped out its tongue. It sounds harsh but seriously, he grew extra pointy teeth and its tongue curled around my neck ready to eat me. And then I broke his neck and he died. The community did not appreciate me snapping his neck but they understood, it was survival of the fittest and he messed up.

Even though they freak me out, I am a scholar and want to learn all I can.

Learning Thai is difficult, even after all these years, I still can't grasp it well enough.

I went to visit Amun and Benjamin. Benjamin found his mate. I am so happy for him. He is really sweet. Amun looked pleasantly surprised when I showed up this time, meaning he didn't look like I was a sour worm bothering him.

I had a chance to visit Lebanon, I took it and then travelled down to Sudan and Ethiopia. The people are so nice and welcoming. Although the human food they gave me upset my stomach just a little bit, turns out, the village poisoned me for their local witch-doctor to do his ancestral magic to bless the land. I thought it was sweet that the village would stand together as a community but the poisoning was a no-no. Everyone sat there stunned after I ate my food and drank my herbal tea still talking to everyone with no worries in the world until everyone looked at me strangely and became scared of me.

Apparently no one has survived their food poisoning before. The witch doctor came out after the villagers told them that they have poisoned me and it was not working, I heard them speaking in a worried and scared tone of voice but could not understand a word of what they were saying but I knew it had something to do with me.

The Witch-doctor came at me with a curved blade from behind, I heard him chanting and I saw the looks on those people's faces as he slid the blade across my throat but nothing happened, I have vampire skin and it would take someone really strong to be able to slit my throat.

I turn around slowly, I glare at him. He looks at me, pale. Faster than what he could see, I grab his weapon and bend it in an unnatural angle in front of every one to see and snap it. I then jab a small piece of the metal that splintered off and shove it in the witch-doctor's shoulder.

"Fight against me, and you will lose" I tell him before disappearing as fast as I could, heading back to Egypt and grabbing a plane to North America. I never saw them again.

**No one POV**

Althea was nearly part of an ancient sacrificial rite for the land to be blessed. And because they could not find anyone chosen by the Ancestors in time, the witch-doctor was used in her place, forced by the people, and the land was made inhabitable by the ancestors for such disrespect. The villagers had to scatter and find other villages to inhabit. No one was happy with how things turned out that day, not the people and definitely not Althea.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Althea POV**

It's 1922, I am finally back, now I lost track of my father, I haven't spoken to him in years. I searched but couldn't find him alone; I went to Baltimore and Chicago. And you know what, I decided to track him the supernatural way. I found this woman over a decade ago in New Orleans who could do voodoo and I even saw her curse someone. This stuff is real. So I asked her if she could help me find my father and she agreed, she found him and I went on my merry way, even though I was sceptical.

I found him, I knocked on his door, but a woman opened up. A vampire woman. 'No, he found a woman' I think in disbelief.

"Hello, Can I help you?" she asks nervously, but smile anyway. I look at her suspiciously.

"Hello. Yes, I am looking for Carlisle Cullen. Is he here?" I ask her.

"He is currently at work. Is there anything you need from him?" She asks suspiciously and with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

'This is going to be good' I think.

"Sorry, What is your name?" I ask her.

"Esme"

"Well, Esme, What I need from him is time, love and affection" I state to her.

She looks ready to burst, when I see my father driving his own car, he stopped in front of the house.

"Althea!" My father yells excitedly, running at vampire speed towards me, and he hugs me tightly.

"I have missed you dearly daughter" He says, in an English accent (It's still funny because his accent only changes back when he speaks to me).

Esme relaxed slightly, "Oh so this is Althea you mentioned".

"Esme dear, this is Althea, Althea this is Esme, my mate" He introduces us.

"I assumed as much father. I apologize for earlier. I wanted to see the type of person you are and I thought that you could be my father's mate. I wanted to see how you react to a woman asking about your mate"

"You did what?" my father hissed at me, protective for Esme's case.

'This is sweet!"

I just grin at him. "Welcome to the family" I tell her, hugging her tightly as well.

She grins back and we walk inside.

"I have so many stories to tell you Esme, especially all those embarrassing ones. This is going to be so much fun" I tell her excitedly.

"Althea, we also have to tell you a few things" My father states.

"Alright, let's take a seat then"

We sat down and my father told me about Edward who has left a few months ago and he will probably visit soon. He told me about his new job and about Esme. And Esme told me about herself.

I told them about some of my travels and that this village attempted to kill me for some sacrificial rite. My father looked upset at that.

After a few hours of catching up and getting to know one another I drifted off to sleep for the first time in nine years. This normally happens when I am with my father or Belinda and Johnathan. Esme was freaked out over this even if my father did explain it to her before about my ability but I think he forgot to mention the sleeping part. I normally sleep for an hour or two.

So this awkward conversation came up as well, I felt like I had to mention it, but it was over the living arrangements.

"Father, I must ask you and Esme, do you want me to stay here with you, or can I get an apartment for me to stay in?" I ask them.

Esme answered first, "No, you have to stay here, this is your home as well".

"Don't be ridiculous. As Esme mentioned, you are family. We stay together"

"But won't it be strange that your nearly two hundred and seventy year old daughter is staying with the newly mated couple"

My father rolls his eyes and says, "Althea. Stop being ridiculous. Maybe you and Edward are fated to be together"

"No" I tell him.

"These things happen. With one look, you two could be mated" He tells me jokingly.

"Don't you be ridiculous father" I tell him, rolling my eyes.

"I'll try my best" he says.

"Come on, let me show you to your room." Esme tells me. 'She is so beautiful. I love her already'.

Esme and I bonded a lot. I was only waiting to meet Edward before going to London to visit. But he is taking his sweet time. Apparently he is unhappy with what he has become, and I might be as well if I had the ability to read minds all the time. 'How irritating must it be!'

Edward finally came home after a year away and I was itching to travel again.

Edward stalked inside the house, I was sitting on a couch in the living room reading a book. My father and Esme went hunting over an hour ago.

"Who are you?" I ask him, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" He asks surprised.

"I asked you first, but seeing as you have no manners whatsoever, let me show you how it's done. 'Hello, my name is Althea. I live here'" I tell him mockingly.

"And then you reply with a "Hello, nice to meet you, I am Edward, and I live here too". I tell him amused.

He looks taken aback.

"Ah, Edward, I was wondering when you were going to come home. I see you've met my daughter Althea", my father walks in with Esme on hand. Esme goes over to hug Edward and he looks really awkward about it too.

"Althea was teaching me how to introduce myself because my behaviour seemed untoward for her taste" Edward tells my father. 'What an arse" I think.

"I am not an arse. I was merely stating what happened".

"Althea!" my father says appalled by my behaviour.

"What! He was being rude when he started speaking to me. You know how I get with rude people. And I will have free reign in my thoughts, he must just keep it to himself whatever he hears from me. You cannot reprimand me for what I think". I reply justified.

"Very well. Don't be rude, please. Behave, both of you". My father replies with a sigh.

"So there was no spark when you looked into his eyes?" My father asked mischievously. Edward and I looked horrified.

Edward and I got to know one another better. It was much like a sibling bond. Not that I had experience in those bonds besides now. We talked about a lot of things. He was curious about my views on religion and politics and philosophies. He obviously followed the human diet now, it doesn't really bother me, but I can see its bothering my dad. Edward did decide that while he stayed with us, he would only hunt animals.

After another three years with my family I booked a flight to London. Before that, I took Edward to Canada, I've been there once and I wanted to explore. 'We had fun, even if he is an annoying prick'

"Oh thanks, I never knew I was that bad. Try living with you" Edward tells me.

"I do live with myself and I enjoy it to the fullest" I sass him back.

Edward disappeared for a few months again after we returned home. My dad and Esme were sad to see us leave but I promised I would be back. And I was, I came back within a few months. Flying might be expensive but its faster than boat travel during this time period.

I like to visit South America often. I went there for a few months again and came back home.

And in 1934, I met my new adoptive sister, Rosalie. Incredibly beautiful, and seriously mean.

She is a real bitch. I came home after a long trip from Panama, beautiful Spanish country. Beautiful people, food, beautiful landscapes, rich culture, beautiful food once again. Lovely history.

"Who do you think you are waltzing into our home? Are you a thief? Is that why you are here? To steal? Mmm?"

This was my first encounter with Rosalie. I received a telegram from Esme about her. But if I thought Edward was rude, no, Edward is a dear compared to Rosalie's harsh welcome.

"I'm sorry, I did not realize that waltzing is a crime and anyway, I thought that I was strutting with confidence. A thief I am not, I have no need to steal. I apologize for my appalling manners as well as yours, what is your name?" I ask her.

She looked ready to slap me. "What is going on here?" Esme comes in dramatically after her hunt with my father who is trailing behind her.

"Oh nothing Esme, she was just introducing herself" I tell her.

Esme sighs, "Rosalie, this is Althea Cullen, Carlisle's daughter".

"So you are Rosalie, nice to meet you" she glares at me and stalks away. I look at her retreating back and try not to laugh at the petulant child that is in front of me. I hear laughter from outside. "Edward, come say hello to your big sister" I yell out to him.

He comes in, eyes no longer red but a lovely golden yellow. "Are you going to treat everyone that you meet in our home for the first time with such appalling manners?" Edward asks me in a mocking English tone of voice. 'I don't believe it, he can actually make a joke, he has a sense of humour'.

I reply in a posh voice and my nose in the air, "Only if they deserve my sour mood after acting with rudeness in my own home. I shall try my utter best to stop acting in such a manner unbefitting of my station" we all laugh at that.

"Althea, it's good to see you my daughter. But please, can you make things right with Rosalie"

"Alright father" I tell him. 'he is right, she is still a new born as was Edward and as such their emotions run quite high. Even if Edward's reaction to me was better than Rosalie's was.

I did go make it right. Rosalie and I hashed it out, and we clashed often. And often enough Edward had to mediate between the two of us. I thought she was a petulant child, Edward sometimes agreed. But we got the hang of our relationship and we even went shopping together as soon as Rosalie could handle being in a populated area. She and Edward bonded over their disgust of my human habits, like the discovery of ice cream and milkshakes. I still struggled with eating floury foods. I only ate one man during this year. He was so rude to Rosalie when we went to a baseball game. He was acting inappropriate towards her. So I ate him. I upped one in her book and one down in my father's. His look of disappointment says it all.

In 1935, I met Emmett, Rosalie's mate. Sweet guy, well from what I've seen as he bled to death until my father could save him.

"Why can't you change him?" Rose asks me.

"Because he would die faster than one cent fire cracker Rose. I can't change someone. I have venom but it's ineffective"

Emmett made everything fun. I liked Emmett.

My father and I were hunting together alone for the first time in years. We hunted and sat together watching the stars.

"What do you think about all this? About all these new people in our lives?" My father asks me.

"I think…well I think that it's great. It is something to get used to. To get used to not just you and me but to a whole new family. I wanted this. I've always wanted to have you here and a mother, well I imagined my mother and not Esme, but she is pretty great, even if I am older than her. I remember when I was being raised by grandfather, he was so strict and I was scared that he would chase away any new mother that you might marry. He told me often enough what a mistake I was. And I would be lucky to even get a husband. I always had the hope that you were alive and what motivated me to find you was because of my forced marriage to come. And instead I found all of this. It's unconventional but it's better than what I could've hoped for" I tell him.

And continue jokingly, "Now sometimes Rosalie and Edward are a bit much for me, and Emmett as well, but I can't imagine our family without them now. I've accepted them even before they became a part of our lives because I knew you were lonely when I travelled. I still travel and I miss you so much. I wish I could show you some of the things I've seen and the people I've met"

My father hugs me tightly and jokingly adds, "They are a bit much for me too sometimes".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I still often travelled and even took Rose and Emmett with me once. And my father and Esme even came with me a few times. Edward and I would travel to London, to visit Johnathan and Belinda. Edward did not like them much due to their diet preference but he had to suck it up. And as a family we travelled to Denali and introduced the rest of our family to the coven and everyone hit it off, except for Edward and Tanya. Tanya liked Edward and tried to seduce him every chance she got the few months we were there.

In 1939 we headed to Forks, a small town with a large forest spreading out for miles and miles. It was a great hunting area for my family and it helped that thy could go out in the day time because of its dreary weather.

When all my family members went out to hunt one evening, I stayed at home. They took longer than what I expected, and they came back and spoke about these werewolves they met, and decided to make a treaty with them on where they are allowed to hunt and where not. The next day my father went out with Edward to sign the treaty. Ephraim Black saw my name on the treaty as well.

**3****rd**** person POV**

Ephraim Black saw Althea's name on the treaty, and asked Carlisle confused,

"Where is this girl you have on here?"

"She is at home right now. Do you need to meet her?" Carlisle asks, worried. He did not want more people to know about how different she was, but maybe it is a good thing.

"Why was she not with you last night?" Ephraim asks him.

"She has no need to hunt like we do" Edward speaks up and continues, "She does not drink human blood and does not have the need to hunt as much as we do"

"I wish to meet her for myself"

"Very well. Edward, please go fetch your sister" Carlisle tells his adoptive son.

After Edward left, Carlisle started to explain more about his daughter and the differences she has.

"Ephraim, as my son said, she is different than the rest of us. You will see now. She is more human than vampire, she is a hybrid. She has no need to feed as much, she is strong and fast and have skin as hard as ours, but she has blood flowing through her veins. I must ask you to keep this secret. I have to protect her. There is no one else like her. She is my daughter, my own flesh and blood" Carlisle says desperately.

Ephraim was curious. He saw how different the yellow eyed vampires are, and that even such a creature this girl could exist baffled him. This yellow eyed demon had a daughter.

Barely fifteen minutes past and Edward arrived with Althea.

"Hello, my name is Althea. Edward tells me that you wished to meet me".

"Yes, indeed I did. Your father tells me that you are different than them and I wished to see it for myself" Ephraim tells him.

"You are more than welcome to ask me anything" Althea replies kindly.

And so the friendship started between Ephraim and Althea. His pack mates understood that she was different than the rest.

Althea even invited him and the pack over for dinner one evening. Rosalie and Edward was not amused. They smelled awful to their sensitive noses.

Althea, in secret went to visit Ephraim. He was shocked that she would come onto the land, he did get angry with her, but she said that what she had to tell him was important,

"Please listen to me. I want to share something with you that not even my family knows about. Edward might know a little bit, and I have told my father some of it. But this pertains to all of you. During all my years I travelled to many different places and in that time I met others that are like you. They can shift into other animals. The Supernatural community is much larger than just vampires. I met shifters who can turn into tigers and Jaguars. I met other creatures as well. But I wanted to tell you that you are not alone".

Althea never gave the true locations of the other shifters but spoke about how she would often visit them. She said that she wanted to protect them and their way of living. Fortunately for her, Ephraim refrained from kicking up a fuss over the treaty when she came to visit, he allowed it full-heartedly after that. Ephraim then married and started a family of his own.

After five years of living in Forks and the strange friendship with the tribe of wolves, The Cullen family left, only to return years later.

**Althea POV**

After living in Forks for so long, especially in close proximity to the wolves I decided to depart, to travel again for a decade or so. I wanted to visit those other shifters, of course the ones I first met are long dead but I am known.

I travelled back to the Black forest in Germany. Previously I found a werewolf there, as well as an old witch. I am seeking the help of another witch who could help me protect my mind against telepathy. I found a young looking witch, but turns out, it was the old witch that I met over a century ago. She did help me luckily for a price of course. She trapped my memories behind a mental wall, I could still access it, but no one else could, even if I thought about it in that moment. I told her about Edward and Aro who could read minds and I had sensitive information over many supernatural creatures and I wanted to keep them a secret from Aro especially. She helped me and I helped her.

I even travelled to one of the forests in Albania and discovered wood nymphs, they are kind creatures until you mess with the forest, and for fun, they like to trap humans in the forest, and eventually the humans will die of thirst or starvation, it's cruel but I can't change their minds.

'Seriously, how is it that the vampire community is so ignorant of all these creatures around them? If you look hard enough, you will find it, or it will find you?'

I went to Lithuania, and I found more Wendigoes. All I had to do to find them was search for the area where the most mutilated bodies were found, or the concentration of people that went missing. I followed the trail, and I caught the scent of one of them. Wendigoes have a certain scent to them, it's like a combination stench of fresh and decaying blood. They smell disgusting. The wendigo man I met, his name was Hannibal, he was fairly young, nearly twenty years old.

I then travelled to Canada, spoke some Canadian French. They are such nice people with great manners. I had some papers forged and decided to stay here. I studied under my father to be a doctor and also because of my unique senses I could pick up much more problems than the average human doctor.

I stayed in the Town of Jasper, a small alpine town in Western Alberta. I decided that I could pass as a medical doctor, even if women were mostly nurses. The people respected me, they saw that I knew what I was doing and even if I looked young, I just replied that I moisturize and that I eat healthy foods. I miss my father, I miss my whole family. I decided to find them, I wanted to bring them here. The weather isn't that bad that they would have to stay indoors most days. Our house would be secluded.

I had no idea where my family lived now, so I went to Denali and asked Irena and them. They gave me their location.

It's 1954, I haven't seen my family in about a decade.

I arrive at their house in my car. I see Esme and my father come out to see who is here. The rest of the family came out with two new people following at the back.

"Hello family" I tell them with a smile. My father rushes towards me and crushes me in a hug, followed by Esme and the rest.

"Hello Althea. My name is Alice and this is my mate Jasper. We are going to be such great family. I can tell". Alice introduces her and Jasper.

"Hello ma'am, I am Jasper" says Jasper in a southern accent. He is covered in battle scars. He must have been part of the Southern wars I assume.

"Hello, nice to meet you both" I tell them but looking to my father for answers.

"Alice and Jasper has joined our family. They came to us four years ago. They wanted to follow our way of life and here we are today" my father says.

I got to know Alice and Jasper better. Alice annoyed the shit out of me from time to time and I couldn't hide how I felt about it in front of Jasper. He was amused by the whole thing. 'Bastard' I think.

I hear Edward laugh loudly at what I thought. 'Laugh one more time, and I will force you to sit here with me WITH Alice' I think to him and he quickly shuts up.

All of us got along well enough. Rose and I would clash sometimes. Rose and Edward would clash sometimes and sometimes I would clash with Alice more often than what I would like. I understand fashion is her passion, but it's not mine and I have an appreciation for the art, but I don't like her dressing me.

Jasper and I fought one another for fun, it was epic. I still remember my fighting lessons from Johnathan. Jasper had nothing on Johnathan, I'm going to be honest. Jasper was a great fighter, but Johnathan was better and older, and wiser and he was a knight in his human life and he trained from a very young age and had that discipline even in his vampire life. Jasper learned how to properly fight when he was in the vampire wars and he learned quick enough.

But I was trained by Johnathan. And in all my time travelling and staying with the different supernatural creatures, I also learned some of their fighting styles, and battle strategies over the years.

Even though I was physically weaker than Jasper, in our first mock fight I took him down in a matter of minutes.

The boys were mock fighting outside and we all sat outside to watch. Rosalie was only interested in Emmett and Esme the same with my father. My father is not a violent man but he enjoyed this fighting with Jasper, Emmett and Edward.

'Edward you really are bad at this' I think to him. Everyone lost against Jasper.

"Well if you are such an expert on this, why don't you come try fighting against Jasper" Edward challenges.

"No it's alright, I would rather not break a nail" I tell him jokingly.

"Oh so it's alright for you to mock us when you can't even fight" Edward mocks back.

"Very well. You asked for this. Jasper how about a fight?" I ask him.

"Sure darl'n, why not?" he replies.

Everyone looks at us in anticipation. "This is going to be so much fun" I tell him with a smile.

The fight started, Jasper came at me, he feinted right and went left, he tried to get behind me, as he tried to grab me, I twisted around, out of his reach. He couldn't land one blow as I kept evading him. He finally got around me and tried to grab neck but he was too slow as I ducked down and kicked his legs out from under him and he landed on his back. He then got up quickly and came at me again. He ran at me and made a jump for me but I slid through underneath his legs and evaded him again. Jasper can be seen as an unpredictable fighter to others but I take note of how he attacks the whole time.

His unpredictability is predictable.

I started mimicking his moves and he came at me again, he expected me to evade him again and grab me, but I knew he would expect that, so instead of moving out of the way, I kicked him quickly and squarely in the chest, he flew back and landed with a thud on his back, sliding onto his side.

I rushed over to him and before he could stand up, I grabbed his throat and pinned him firmly to a tree where he had no room to move or kick me away.

The fight was over.

And everyone looked at us in shock. Looked at me in shock.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" My father asks me, breaking the silence.

"Johnathan taught me" I replied. "I'm going to go take a shower and a nap"

Later Jasper and I spoke and bonded over fighting styles. He was still in shock that I beat him in a fight, but I know that next time he can take me down and won't hold back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

My family moved to Canada only a town over from mine, my father worked with the local doctors and my siblings went to school.

I had to go to the small hospital where my father worked for a patient of mine, "Althea" my father greets, "What are you doing here?" he asks.

"Hello brother" I tell him, hinting that we are being watched by the humans.

"I came from the Town of Jasper, my patient, Matt Burrow was transferred here" I tell him.

And that is how those small towns saw us as, brother and sister. We looked close to the same age. My father was twenty five when he turned and I was eighteen. I am pretending to be a twenty four year old Doctor and my father twenty six.

We stayed here for another few years and then moved back to the U.S.

I studied music and art then. I went to medical school again. I have a psychology degree, fine arts degree and an anthropology degree.

I worked as a research assistant in one of the universities. It was a tough business, especially for women. But times are getting better. At least women can wear pants now.

Decades past, I travelled in that time, I studied in that time, but never have I met my other half. It becomes lonely when you see all these couples around you. Edward understands at least.

It's the year 2004, my family moved back to Forks a year ago, and the treaty is still ongoing. I do miss Ephraim, I wish that I could have seen him one last time.

I decided to travel back to London to visit Johnathan and Belinda, I really miss them. They really are my parents away from my parents.

I lived with them, we travelled the UK together, exploring, meeting other vampires. It's strange to see how much everything has changed over the years. Technologies have grown, cultures have grown, languages change, and the people change. I visited the Irish coven, they don't like Johnathan much but that's fine. I tell the most of the vampires that I meet that my appearance is due to my ability, I told them that I have the ability to blend in. So I am a vampire but I look like a human. Of course Vampires have this sense that no one can lie to them, except for Maggie in the Irish coven, I only came clean to her though.

**Time Skip **

My brother Edward phoned me. He told me that he had met his singer. He nearly exposed our family. But he met his 'one', his mate. Alice phoned me and told me what she had seen. The human named Bella with our family as a vampire.

Rosalie hates Bella. She told me so herself. "Bella is this…Bella is that… She is a danger to us all…I'm going to kill her if she tries anything stupid".

The rest of the family likes her, but I wish I could meet her. I am planning on going down soon.

Then the call came from Esme about Bella being hunted by a vampire named James. And that she was protecting her father from James's coven mates.

I felt anger in me for the danger my family was put in. I understand she is only a human, but the way Rosalie spoke about her made me reconsider that maybe her death would be beneficial. If a family member dies because of her, then I will kill her.

Esme told me to give it a few days, to wait before rushing to them and the problem was solved.

I did that, they killed James and Bella was put in hospital. 'Why, Why, why would Edward not let her change into a vampire? Is he stupid? I hope he knows that he has only delayed the inevitable. She will be one of us'

I spoke to my father about it and he agreed with me, but Edward made his choice.

Edward does not want Bella to be a vampire.

I was going back to Canada, back to my small Town of Jasper. I missed the peace and quiet. And it's been so long that those people who knew me would be long dead.

This time I became an art teacher instead of a doctor. 'Why be predictable? It's boring!'

My father phoned and said that they are moving away and leaving Bella behind. AS A HUMAN. I was upset, my father knew it, the whole family knew it, it started a whole round of fighting over the phone with certain family members. And I have never been so disrespectful to my father in all my life, but I did not care.

"Are you serious?! You left her human! Human! In a town where your scent still lingers that attracts passing vampires. Have you thought about what would happen if the Kings discovered you left her there!"

"Do not speak to me like that Althea, I am not a child for you to reprimand" My father raised his voice to me as well, but much more calmer than what I did.

"This is Edward's decision, and we must honour it" he continues. I scoff at him.

"No, Edward's decision sucks ass" I tell him, using the slang the teenagers use with me all the time. I hear Emmett laugh in the background.

"I do not agree with this. If this Bella reveals anything about us to anyone I will kill her. If she causes harm to come to my family in any way I will track her down and kill her. Despite Edward's decision. From what I have heard from Rosalie, she is still an immature, insecure human girl with no sense of self-preservation, these are bad qualities combined to a girl who learned about the supernatural world and was dragged into it, by Edward's decision, and then left to live her unfulfilling human life in Forks because she will always wait for the day her 'Mate' will return" I rant at them all. Edward was growling in the background.

"You will not go near her. I left her for her safety, to protect her from us" He yells at me. The effect is not the same as this is over the phone, but he does not frighten me whatsoever. He reminds me of a petulant child right now.

"Althea, daughter, please. This is hard on all of us. We left someone behind that became part of the family in such a short period of time".

"Very well. I will leave her be. But don't think I will go out of my way to protect her. Look at the strife she has caused in such a short amount of time"

"I understand. That's all I can ask"

"Can you at least tell Edward to calm down. I'm not going to go off on a killing spree for his ex-girlfriend. I have papers to mark" I tell him.

Months past and I heard nothing from Edward. Rose and Emmett came to visit me and stayed with me in all this time.

There was still tension between my father and I. And I hated it. I asked him and Esme to come visit me for a few months. In the end the whole family lived with me for those few months before Edward decided to expose our family to the Volturi. My father and I sorted through our tension, and I apologized for my behaviour. It was disrespectful.

Edward thought Bella died and I think Edward is an idiot. He flew to Italy to commit suicide. Alice followed suit and Jasper was pissed.

This time it wasn't Bella's fault even if she is involved. I can't blame her for Edward's stupid decisions. He still should've changed her the moment they met.

My family immediately left for Seattle and moved back to Forks. I decided to pack up as well and it would take me a few days to over a week to wrap everything up here. All these friends I made, the children I taught. I'm going to miss them. I made arrangements for a social worker to look into the life of one of my students as well, I've had my suspicion for a few weeks after noticing some bruising on her arms and wincing if she bumps into someone.

It was two weeks after the whole Edward incident, I left for Forks. Rose filled me in on everything. Bella will be changed after graduation.

I can't wait to see my family. I am apprehensive to meet Bella, but oh well.

My father says that the wolves are back. A lot of wolves have phased in that time due to the increased vampire activity.

I came home. Esme and my father greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Edward came out of his hidey hole. "Hello Thea. It's good to see you again" my brother tells me stiffly. You can cut the tension in the room between us with a feather.

"Hello Brother. Nice to see that you are still alive" I tell him.

'I am glad that you are alive and back with your mate' I think to him. I am not going to respond to his petty, stuck up, self-righteous arse.

"Where is my room?" I ask my mother.

"This way sweetheart" Esme takes me up to my room, right next to Edward's. I can smell her scent, the girl my brother loves.

I put some of my stuff down, my brothers would just have to get the rest of my stuff.

"Yo, Emmett, Jasper, can you help me please" I ask them.

"Since when have you started speaking like this daughter? Yo?" my father asks amused, he still does that thing where he changes back to his English accent.

I laugh at that, "Daddy-o, you have got live with times" I tell him dramatically in an American accent.

Emmett and Jasper helped me unload my things and I quickly made myself at home. Later that evening I was sitting with a bowl of chocolate ice-cream in the kitchen.

"Bella is coming over tomorrow. She really wants to meet you" My father tells me in a warning tone. I sigh.

"Fine, I'll be nice with the human. She is after all Edward's pet" I tell him.

"Althea. Be nice. Your brother is sensitive over these things" my father tells me.

"I know, this is why I am acting like this, to piss him off. I am still angry with him you know. He was going to throw away all of us in a moment of weakness. Don't get me wrong, we all have ours. I know I can be just as impulsive but I can't get over the fact that he nearly exposed himself in a crowd full of humans, that he put you and mum in harm's way. We all love him so much but his actions show that he doesn't care about our emotions at all, what we would've faced with his death is unimaginable. I can't believe he is back and pretending it didn't happen" I tell him emotionally and my father hugs me to him.

"I'm so sorry Althea" I hear Edward say from the doorway of the kitchen. "I never realized. I'm sorry. I know I was being stupid and I deserve your anger. I can see now what I have done to this family. Honestly at the time I didn't care that I hurt you or anyone else. I was hurt and I was angry with myself so I took it out on you"

I wish I could stay angry with him, but it hurts. So I forgive him.

"I forgive you" I tell him. And then we hugged. And then I shoved a spoon full of ice-cream in his mouth as payback.

The next day Bella arrived early in the morning. Apparently she was prepped to meet me. I find it hilarious. I am not that bad. I know I gave most of my siblings a hard time in our first meeting but they brought it upon themselves with their rude behaviour.

She walks in, her body language screams 'insecure'. Edward hisses in my direction, not audible to Bella luckily. 'What, can't I make my observations? It's true. We both studied psychology and know the signs, stop ignoring it you baboon' I think to him.

She can barely make eye contact, she greets everyone and lastly Edward brings her towards me.

"Hi Bella, nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you, my name is Althea" I tell her and she looks taken aback. 'Really? I am not going to eat her Edward. What did you tell her about me? Did you tell her that I wanted to kill her?'

"Um…Hi, nice to meet you too. Everyone has told me about you as well" she says awkwardly.

"Are you hungry? I am about to make breakfast if you want some" I ask her politely. But my eyes are scanning her meticulously. I know it's ridiculous, she is human but she has also threatened our way of life. Rose is warming up to her more as well. That should be a sign.

"No it's fine, I already ate cereal before I came here" She replied.

"Well all the more for me then" I tell her and she looks confused, 'Did you tell her about my healing ability? Or any gift I might possess?' I ask Edward and he shakes his head..

I reply to her confusion then, lying to her, "It's my gift. I can eat human food".

Everyone tenses up at the lie I tell her. It's clear to everyone that I don't trust her.

"That's a nice gift to have. I bet many vampires wants a gift like that" she says more relaxed.

"I bet they do" I smirk.

Edward takes her to his room.

"Why did you lie to her?" Emmett asks me as soon as Bella was out of earshot.

"Because I don't trust her. She has also been hanging out with the shapeshifters from La Push, I don't trust them either"

"But you trusted Ephraim Black" Emmett replies.

"Yes I did, he was a friend, but these people are strangers. As much as I have travelled, I don't tell many people about this gift. But her best friend is the descendant of Ephraim Black, I cared dearly for him, but his descendants I care nothing for. They are a danger to us until we can establish a friendship with these new shifters. This is why I regularly travel to the supernatural communities I discovered, so that I can build relationships with the new generations. And as soon as Bella proves to be trust worthy in my eyes, I don't want any of you to tell her about me".

"We will honour your wish darling. I just want you to know that we trust Bella, she has brought joy back to our family after these tragic months. I hope that you will soon love her as we have come to love her" Esme tells me.

"I hope so too" I reply to her with a small smile.

I started slicing up fruit, and mixing it in a bowl. We all then went to the living room, and watched 'Friends'.

Bella and Edward joined us after an hour, giving me more time to observe them together. 'They are kind of cute together' I think.


	7. Chapter 7

**A forewarning, there is a bit of swearing in this chapter. **

**Chapter 7**

My father hates it when I have to play his sister, so just this once, just this once, I dressed down to what I normally wear and put on some everyday teenage melodramatic clothes. It's strange that what you wear can make a huge impact on how people perceive you.

My father is supposed to be twenty eight here, I will pass as his biological daughter, and there is no mistaking me for a cousin he adopted. So I do look like a fifteen year old girl now, where previously I could pass as a twenty three year old woman. This is unpleasant. I still refuse to go to school though.

"Why not? You've went before" my father says.

"Because I will not subject myself to this type of torture again. I do not need to blend in like you. I made the change this time to look younger, to actually pass as your biological daughter this time instead of sister. You can tell them that I have finished high school early and am taking a gap year, or am doing online classes for college"

My father sighs. 'Plus it shows the rest of the town that I am smarter than the rest of my siblings' I think to Edward and he scoffs.

He repeated what I thought to our father and what does he do. He sighs again and walks away shaking his head.

I just laugh, real hard, on the inside, because I would get tackled by my siblings if I laughed out loud.

So it was official, over the last couple of days the news spread quicker than fire of my arrival. Carlisle Cullen's biological teenage daughter moved in with her father and his new family after the death of her mother. Carlisle who had unprotected sex as a fourteen year old boy, Carlisle's scandal. 'Well he did actually have me at fifteen, but potatow, pootato'.

Everyone was apparently impressed by my intelligence due to me not being in school. My father did a dick move and told everyone that I will be assisting the nurses for a temporary job until I could officially start my studies. I was not impressed when I found that out. And he found it highly amusing.

Although, I only worked for a month, an emergency came up and I had to fly to Germany and go to the Black forest. The old, young witch was in need of help. She needed an extra pair of hands for a ritual she wanted to complete and some of my blood, which is painful to procure. She was the one who blocked some of my memories and thoughts about the Supernatural communities by magical means. She in turn asked for my blood and she used that as one of her sources to make her look younger. I agreed even if it made me uncomfortable. The ritual she wanted to do was a protection ritual for the village she stayed in. She wanted to channel me because of the whole immortality thing being a power source. The protection was to block out the terrors of werewolves. They have been ravaging the small towns all around the area and the witch wanted to prevent that.

I missed my siblings' graduation, but then they found out that Victoria created new born vampires in Seattle. Bella figured out it was that woman with James's coven.

After my siblings' graduation, they arranged with the new wolves that we would team up and kill off all the new born vampires. I was still in Germany when they arranged this.

I would land an hour before they had to meet with the wolves to train.

I knew I would be a few minutes late, so I stopped at a fast food restaurant, I know it's bad but I am not hunting right now. I am going to eat one of their disgustingly oily burgers and chips with a milkshake to go. Like anything made in restaurants, I struggle to digest it and my tastes are heightened, so I have mostly stuck to fruits and vegetables over the centuries. 'I am going to have stomach cramps later, I know it'

I run the rest of the way, I arrived in Forks and then followed my family's scent to where they are now. I can see Jasper demonstrating with Emmett how to fight.

Because the wolves don't know much of me, they were on the defensive as soon as I arrived, still in my travel clothes and backpack on my back, my food inside it.

"Hello family" I greet them.

"You are late" Jasper chides.

"I am well, thanks for asking. At least I am here. I wanted to skip this, but this is me, supporting my family" I tell him jokingly.

I hug my father and Esme first, and wave at the others.

I take seat in between them, back against a tree. I take out my food and start munching.

My father looks at disgusted, "Fast food?" he whispers. I just raise my shoulders in a 'what can you, I am hungry' way.

Edward speaks up, "This is my sister Althea. The wolves are asking who she is"

"Jacob mentioned that she has the ability to eat human food, but they did not believe it" Edward says. I glare at Bella, 'She is the only one whom I told that, why the fuck does Jacob know that? I knew it. She cannot be trusted to know now' I shift my glare to Edward.

My whole family stiffens. I turn my glare to my burger. "Just continue Jasper, they won't learn to fight if they keep watching me eat" I tell him.

Everyone gets a turn to fight, my father really has improved with his fighting as well, even the others. I feel sloshy after my food, but oh well.

"Now, Althea, please come up" Jasper commands, I scoff, 'Why me?' Edward chuckles.

"Oh shut up" I tell him annoyed.

"Jasper, seriously, haven't you demonstrated enough yet?" I ask him, loudly so everyone could hear.

"Nope. So everyone, Althea here is slightly different than us, as you saw with the way she ate human food. Because of this she is not as strong or as fast. Let's demonstrate, Althea, can you run to that tree and push it over as I do the same, let's make it a race.

We stand at the ready at the edge of the clearing. I know what he is trying to do, to show that even though I am weaker physically, I can still beat someone up.

Esme counts down, and we run, I push myself, even though I am feeling sloshy. I push myself faster but Jasper is there like two seconds before me and he easily pushes the tree down. I also push but it takes me five seconds longer than Jasper's.

'Great, we just gave away two of my weaknesses to the wolves' I glare at jasper's back.

"Now as you can see, she is strong and fast, but not like me. Now you may encounter a vampire like her, but you still have to be prepared. You don't know how good of a fighter they might be"

We get in our fighting stances. "One of the rules when fighting someone is: it's better to have an element of surprise on your side, it might just boost your chances of survival" To not only throw him off, but my family and the wolves as well, I decide to do something I rarely do. I did it and I took Jasper down in two seconds. I did feel bad but I tried to control my emotions so as not to give away my intentions and lose the shock factor. Edward had an idea of what I was going to do.

This is what happened, we were staring at one another, at the ready when I gave my words of advice to everyone listening, "One of the rules when fighting someone is: it's better to have an element of surprise on your side, distractions are a good way to win as well, all this might just boost your chances of survival"

Jasper raises an eyebrow at me, saying 'Really, you are going with that?'

I smirk at him and say, "So Jasper, tonight you are cramping my mood a bit by making me run after eating, you know that I am feeling sloshy after a meal like that. And now I have to fight you, I am pretty sure you are trying to manipulate my emotions in your favour as well, so you know what, you are being a douchebag you annoying fucking piece of shit"

His face said it all. Everyone was stunned, stood stock still and then I lunged for Jasper taking him down in one swift move, laying face-down on the ground with my hands holding his head and neck in an upwards angle as I sit on his back.

"And that Ladies and Gentlemen is how a weaker fighter can take down the stronger opponent. Oh and I must apologize for what you just heard. I did not mean them at all, except for calling you a douchebag, that part I meant but I am so sorry for swearing at you, especially in such a crude manner" I say sincerely, I really do feel bad, Jasper probably felt my emotions during that time. He knows I feel guilty.

Some of the wolves look like they were laughing at what just happened, Emmett and then Rosalie burst out laughing.

Esme spoke up, "I should wash your mouth out with soap".

"I agree" My father tells Esme, still looking on in disbelief.

After this we all headed home. Edward took Bella home cause she is grounded. 'I should meet her father, he sounds great'.

Emmett was still laughing when we got home. Every now and then you could still hear chuckles from our family members.

"Sis, I can't believe you did that. That was great" Emmett tells me. "Jasper just froze up. I couldn't believe it. You could've taken us all down with the amount of shock you put on us".

"I admit darl'n, that was a mighty fine move you did there. Swearing like that won't be applicable to the battle but the principles remain. I think we all learned a valuable lesson" Jasper praises. I don't blush often but today everyone saw my face and ears tinge pink.

"Yeah we did, our big sis Thea has a potty mouth" Rose adds on.

"Okay can you guys stop please. I can't take this teasing anymore" I tell them, going even redder than before.

"Daughter, I don't think I have ever seen you this shade of red before" my father states.

"I don't think I want to see how red I've become. I can feel the blood flowing and it's annoying" I tell him. 'It really is a strange feeling, to feel how strong my own blood is flowing through my veins'.

"Mum, please make them stop teasing me, before I start throwing punches" I tell Esme, calling her 'mum' by accident, which I rarely do, but it feels nice calling her that.

I think she realized my slip up as well as she beams brightly at me. "Okay boys and girls, let's leave Althea alone".

Emmett was about to start but Esme just threw him the 'look', the look that shuts you up in an instant. I stick my tongue out at him.

I was still feeling sloshy. I knew I shouldn't have eaten at a fast food restaurant. It makes me sick. It's literally like poison to my body, cause it also had flour in it. Father calls it gluten intolerance, I call it annoying. He was like, "I can't believe I have a vampire daughter with gluten intolerance. How does that even work?"

"Well…be happy I don't have to drink that much blood" was all I replied.

Seeing those wolves tonight really reminded me of Ephraim. I miss him. He did imprint and I was so happy for him. Jacob Black, the best friend of Bella is the great grandson of Ephraim. It must be fate that we are all connected in such a way.

Speaking of Bella, the little gossip. "I just want to mention something before I go throw up that disgusting, sloshy-making food. I told you Bella couldn't be trusted. I am pretty sure that I told her before she left that first day I met her not to tell anyone and she said 'Don't worry, I will never tell anyone if you don't want me to'. Clearly she told Jacob. So I will not be telling her anything about me, she is a little gossip to the pack of mutts".

"I was waiting for her to bring this up. I knew she was going to react like this. Didn't I tell you Em?" Rose said.

"Oh yeah. We even made a bet of it" Emmett replies.

"A bet?" My father says.

"Which means… you have to pay up. Alice, jasper. Emmett you can repay me in other ways" Rose tells everyone else.

"You made a bet on this. I don't believe it. Why can't I get a cut of the money? How much did you even bet?"

"Edward is going to have a fit" Alice says.

"I don't have to be a seer to know that" says Rose.

"It must annoy Edward so much that I don't trust his mate, doesn't it?" I ask in general.

"He'll get over and so will you…eventually" Esme says.

"It's just that she does not have the same connection that a vampire has to his mate. You know how sacred it is. She can still walk away. I know she feels the pull to him, but it's not the same as what Edward feels for her. She won't understand until she is one of us. I won't fully trust her until she is officially part of this family, and I don't mean marriage" I tell them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

A few days later we still trained but there were fewer wolves. The pack shared a mind and because of that most of them didn't need to be there. I still fought Jasper the most; I lost a few times as well. I even went up against my father and Esme a few times and Emmett lost spectacularly against me. I taught Rose a few moves and soon she was able to take Emmett down as well.

I started conversing with Jacob as well. He was curious about my lifestyle. I was mostly honest with him. I omitted some things.

I could see he was in love with Bella. And Bella did not reciprocate that same love, but she was stringing both Edward and Jacob along. It was unfair to both of them. But my brother made his decision and now he has to deal with the consequences of loving Bella. Because now it's official, she finally said 'Yes' to Edward's marriage proposal and she has not told Jacob about it.

My brother still has the hope that she won't have to be changed, but he is avoiding the inevitable now.

The big fight was one day away now, and I felt confident that we could win. Bella, Edward and Jacob was taken to a peak of one of the mountains where a storm was currently blazing.

I was sitting with my family, eating a bowl of veggies, and drinking my own specialty coffee-a human blood bag mixed with caffeine. It tastes great. I could live on this stuff. My father wishes to study the effects of different foods mixed with different types of blood, be it human or animal. I feel stronger and more satisfied with human blood than when I drink animal blood. But I feel even weaker if I live only on human food.

Hours later my family, combined with the wolves were in the clearing, two hours before we start the battle according to Alice. We had a strategy plan worked out and the wolves would hide in the trees while we stood in the centre of the clearing.

I actually ignored all of the wolves. I know what they think of my family and their behaviour is inconsiderate and rude. I want to see them go through what all of us have gone through so that they know that we did not have a choice in this.

I am itching to get this over with. I want to watch another episode of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', no matter how terrible and inaccurate the series is.

The wolves are mostly keeping to themselves as well.

"Please be safe daughter" my father interrupts my thoughts when he hugged me and spoke those words in Old English. "I will father. I promise. Please be safe as well" I tell him.

Esme joins us soon after, "Hi mum" I tell her. If she could cry, she would've in that moment. She hugs me to her as well and my father joins in, and then the rest of my siblings. I hear a gagging sound from one of the wolves. 'That's rude'

I look up to see which wolf made that sound, I spot him, a dark silver wolf, our eyes meet for the first time. And then it happened, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, still stuck in my father's embrace. He was my 'one', my mate. I couldn't stop staring. 'No! shit. This can't be happening. Not him! Not one of them'. I think.

The silver wolf howls, he freaks out as well as the rest of the pack. My family isn't sure what happened. "Althea?!" my father calls my name, worry in his tone of voice.

"Father, this can't be happening. He is my 'One'. My mate. My heart, it hurts" I say painfully.

Paul POV

We were fighting the new-borns today. I can't wait to finally kill some blood suckers.

We have been training for this day for a while now and I can't wait to just start the fight. These yellow eyed blood suckers still smell awful, except that one who ate human food, it didn't smell that bad, but I she still has a vampire scent to her, but not that strong.

I overheard their conversation about being safe. 'Oh please, I hope at least one or two dies today. Maybe all of them' I gag in my wolf form, my fellow brother wolves are standing next to me, rolling their eyes at me.

I see that one blonde girl, the doctor's daughter look up and we make eye contact for the first time. Time freezes as I stare into her green eyes, she is my imprint, my reason for living. It felt like life made so much more sense now and that the colours of the forest shone brighter just because she is here. And then reality came crashing down. 'NO! Fuck no! How did this happen?! It can't be'.

My fellow wolves realized what happened. They saw everything.

'No, no, no, no' I repeat over and over. 'I imprinted on a fucking blood sucker' I think and my thoughts are open for everyone to see.

'Why did this have to happen right before the fight?! I can't focus!' I pace back and forth. I can't even hear my pack as I panic. This has never happened. This is not normal'.

'Calm down!' Sam commands and immediately I calm down somewhat.

'We will sort this out later. We have bigger problems at hand Paul. Get your shit together!' Sam tells me. 'I'll try. But how would you react if you imprinted on a fucking leech?'

'Probably like you do now' Jared comments.

I see my imprint staring at me. I can't make out what she is thinking but she looks just as shocked as I do.

3rd Person POV

Fate now connected Paul and Althea together for eternity. Their souls match and as such they will become whole, they will become one as they both accept the bond.

And unknown to them, their bond will be one of the strongest the world will have ever seen. Their love for one another will never cease, they will bring out the best in one another as well as the worst, but no matter what, together they are unbreakable. They are stronger as one.

They both looked at each other in love and horror. No one could have predicted this to happen.

They had no idea what an epic love story they would become.

Carlisle broke the silence after coming out of shock, that his daughter's mate was a shapeshifter.

"I am sure that we all know what happened now. This is a precious and unexpected surprise. No one thought that this could be possible. I know I didn't. But the battle will start in less than fifteen minutes. We have to put this out of our minds for the next hour and then we can deal with this situation, otherwise we risk losing this battle due to distraction".

Even though none of the vampires understood the wolves, they could tell that Sam was echoing Carlisle's words.

Paul and Althea could not stop staring. Althea felt like crying and running away, and the same could be said for Paul, even if he won't admit it, even to himself.

Everyone stood ready in their positions. Paul, even though he ignored the newly formed bond, he couldn't help but feel worry for his imprint. And vice versa with Althea.

The new-borns arrived and the battle started. It was clear to everyone in battle that Althea was the best fighter amongst them even if she was weaker than everyone else. Paul thought she looked so graceful, like a ballerina dancing the stage. She was swift, graceful and ruthless at the same time and Paul admired that.

Paul saw that the new-borns realized this as well, but what he didn't know was that the new-borns smelled her blood flowing through her veins and they were all thirsty beyond reason. None of the Cullens expected this, but they soon realized why they were targeting Althea. Blood.

Althea saw the moment the new-borns started sniffing, and knew what was coming, she thought something like this might happen. She fought as hard as she could, and when she was overwhelmed, she ran, even though her family as well as the wolves were taking down the baby vampires, they weren't fast enough. She wasn't fast enough. She ran towards a tree and there were about seven new-borns chasing after her, when she got to the tree, she run up along the length of the tree, used the momentum and jumped backwards, twisting her body so that she could do a somersault and landed on her feet, running in the opposite direction. Her family was trying to protect her, taking down three vampires, but there were still four left and one of them grabbed her arm, twisting it.

She yelled out in pain, and then the vampire sunk his teeth into her skin, as difficult as it was for the vampire to actually pierce it, he did it. Althea punched him with her free hand and broke his face, another vampire went for her but was beheaded by Paul himself, he couldn't contain his anger as he saw her hurt, his worry and fear.

Paul looked at her and saw blood coming from her wound, she was whimpering in pain. He thought 'How is that possible?' The last vampire that was chasing her came at her with more vigour than before, he couldn't save her in time, he saw that vampire tear into her neck as she tried fighting him off, but the new born was too strong. Her jugular was ripped open, it looked like her neck was half torn from her body, it looks like vampire flesh meshed with human flesh, a strange sight for everyone, and he then saw the light slowly leave her eyes. Her father tore the vampire to pieces. Paul never thought he would see that particular blood sucker so angry. And Paul never thought he would get his imprint and then have her die the same day. He feels like such a failure.

Carlisle saw what happened. He knew he had to protect his daughter. She is an amazing fighter but it is near to impossible for her to defend herself against so many new-borns at once. He was too late. That one vampire got her. He knew she would heal eventually as she told him she would, but he has never seen her attacked this badly. He saw her a few times over the past three centuries badly injured and it broke his heart every time.

Carlisle ran to his daughter, Paul close on his tail. Carlisle holds the bleeding wound on her neck. "It's going to be fine. You are going to heal daughter. You're fine" Carlisle tells her, more to reassure himself. He cries as her already slow heartbeat stops. Paul shifts into his human form, shaking. Paul couldn't breathe as he watched her dead form. 'She is a vampire for crying out loud, how could she die?!' he thinks.

The fight was over, the whole family and even some of the wolves surrounded her dead body. They tried to comfort Paul, tears were streaming down his face. "I should've protected HER!" he yells out. "I'm sorry".

There were two new-borns left over. One whom Carlisle and Esme saved and the other whom Leah was fighting alone, and in the end Jacob's ribs were crushed when that vampire grabbed him and basically tried to squeeze him to death.

Paul was still staring at Althea, he refused to leave.

"They have to leave. The Volturi are coming" Alice whispers, emotion thick in her voice. And she says louder so that the wolves can hear her "The wolves have to take her body. It's the only way"

Carlisle was conflicted. He wanted to take Althea home and wait for her to heal. The pack didn't know this.

Carlisle looks at Paul. "What is your name?"

"Paul"

"Paul, I need you to take my daughter, please. She is different from us as you can see. We did not tell you everything about her. She will come back to life. She heals. I will come to get her after the Volturi leave. I know it's hard to believe, but she is healing as we speak and if she stays here The Volturi will take her and we might never see her again"

Paul picks up his imprint and runs behind the rest of the guys who were carrying Jacob.

He brought her onto the reservation and they went to Billy's house. After they arrived he could see her neck starting to heal, tendons and muscle reattaching themselves slowly and the wound on her arm hasn't begun healing, he feared it never would.

Almost everyone was there watching this, the rest were trying to help Jacob.

Carlisle Cullen then came. He sat for a moment at her side, taking her hand, holding it tightly and giving it a kiss. He got up and went to Jacob, setting his bones. No one knew what was worse, Jacob's screaming or the soft whimpering that started from the woman Paul thought he lost. That whimpering became moans and then screaming. Paul couldn't take it, he was going crazy. He started moving back and forth, crying. He couldn't help her. He never felt so helpless as on this day.

Carlisle came to her side. "Her wounds are healing slowly. She needs blood, it will speed up the process"

"Can't you do anything for the pain?" Paul asks.

"No, unfortunately not. I need to take her back to our home to give her the blood"

"YOU will not take her, she stays here" Paul snarls. Carlisle was taken aback.

Carlisle seems to consider this. He was at a crossroad. Alice could probably bring the blood bags quicker than if he moved her.

"Very well. I will have Alice bring me what I need"

Billy and Sam agreed to this and allowed Alice to enter the reservation.

She came within minutes of receiving a vision of Carlisle calling.

He took the blood bags and tore into one of them, opening her mouth and throwing the blood down her throat.

You could visibly see the effects. Her healing was complete within less than an hour and all that had to happen was for her to wake up.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It felt like days for her to wake up, but it was only one day.

It was weird for the wolves to have vampires in their homes.

Carlisle refused to answer questions about her, knowing she would be upset with him if he revealed something she didn't want others to know, even if Paul is her intended. Paul never left her side in all this time. He had time to think things through. He now knew that rejecting the imprint was not an option as he saw her die in front of him. He never wanted to go through something like this again and he swore that he would do anything in the world to protect her. He didn't know her but feeling her die, he won't go through that heart breaking pain again.

It was clear to Paul and the rest of the pack that she was no ordinary vampire. The pack couldn't reject her as she is an imprint. The elders of the tribe were in a state about this new development with Paul. But surprisingly to everyone Billy Black supported the imprint and encouraged Paul to fully accept the bond no matter what his pack brothers or any of the other elders said.

The Cullens were frazzled with what happened to Althea. No one could have predicted that all the new-borns would turn on Althea, not even Alice. They suspect that it had something to do with the wolves, the imprint.

And most of the Cullens are ticked off with the wolves, with Paul for refusing Carlisle to bring her home. Carlisle luckily persuaded the others not to come and gave them regular updates. Carlisle refused to leave his daughter in the clutches of the wolves so to speak.

**Althea POV**

'This is a shitty situation' I think. 'Not only did I find my mate, who is not a fucking vampire. I also had to fight in battle with him, then to die by having my jugular ripped into. This sucks. I can feel everything. Even though I am not moving, and looks like I am sleeping, I am still aware of the things around me. Where is Edward when you need a mind reader?'

I can hear my father speaking those mutts. And to my mate, Paul. 'Why couldn't it have been someone like Benjamin? The wolves aren't immortal'. I think glumly.

My father gave me human blood and I could feel myself heal faster but there was still residual venom in my system and it hurts like a bitch.

"How is it that she can sleep?" I hear Paul ask my father.

"All I will say is that she is the most human vampire you will ever meet. Her transition to vampirism wasn't as easy or as fast as the rest of our kind. But this is her story to tell. I will not dishonour her to sate your curiosity"

"She is my imprint" Paul says. My heart skips a beat at hearing that still in my comatose state.

"She is my daughter" my father retorts back and Paul sighs deeply.

"How long will it take for her to wake up, can you take a guess?" Paul asks.

"It shouldn't be long now. Her major wounds have healed but the foreign vampire venom in her system is what is hurting her the most I believe"

"Why is that?" I hear the turning of a wheelchair, and the man, Jacob's father, Billy ask.

"If a vampire bites another, it will still take time for that wound to heal as the venom has the same properties but it's still a foreign substance, it will even leave a scar as I am sure you have seen on my son Jasper's body. Althea has blood running through her veins as you have witnessed and as such, takes longer for the venom to clear her system"

"Makes total sense" quips a foreign male voice in the room.

It's been over a day since the battle, and I know I am about to wake up and face reality. I remember Bella was here as well last night, she spoke to my father quickly, saw Jacob and then left.

I groan and turn on my side. I realize I've been laying down on an uncomfortable couch.

"Althea, can you open your eyes for me?" my father asks.

I groan. 'I feel like shit'.

"Do you need more blood?" Paul asks and I groan again.

"Daughter, please open your eyes. Everyone wants to know that you are alright"

"Fine" I groan again.

"You suck" I tell my father as I open my eyes and look at him. He gives me a small amused smile.

"You've had us worried there, especially Paul. We thought you would never wake up" Billy says. 'Well he sounds friendly, dear god he looks so much like Ephraim'

"Ephraim?" I ask confused, even if I'm not. I'm just messing with them. "How are you still alive? I understand that you're really old and in a wheelchair but you look good for a man of your age"

Billy laughs at me. "No, no. I am Billy. My grandfather was Ephraim Black"

"Well you look alike"

"It's uncanny, isn't it?" My father asks amused. He knows I am just being dramatic.

"Can I speak with her for a moment please? Alone" Paul asks.

My father looks reluctant. I wanted to give him a nod, but that vampire venom in my system is about to come out and it won't be pretty and graceful like a vampire is supposed to be.

I looked panicked, my father sees it. "What's wrong?" "Bucket" I reply.

He left and came back in three seconds, just in time as I threw up all the venom. Some blood came out as well. It looked disgusting, like see through slime combined with red streaks.

"That was really bad timing, I thought you were already sick of me" Paul commented dryly.

"Yes it happens often when people annoy me I just have to throw up" I replay back dryly as well and then started laughing. Everyone chuckled to Paul and I's replies.

"Is the venom out of your system daughter?" My father asks.

"I can feel an after taste of it in my mouth. It's disgusting. Most of it is out from what I can tell" I tell him and he hands me a glass of water.

"We'll leave you and Paul to it so you can talk about things"

My father gives me a hug and whispers so that only I can hear him, "I'm happy that you finally found your someone. Don't be so nervous, it will all work out"

'How does he know I am nervous? Is it that obvious?'

Everyone left, now it's just Paul and I.

"I don't know where to start" Paul starts.

"You just did"

"I know but I meant with the whole werewolf/vampire-ish thing we have going on"

"Well one, it's called imprinting, and two, you are not a werewolf" I tell him amusedly.

"Of course I am a werewolf. I am part man, part wolf. And how do you know about imprinting?" he asks.

"I've met werewolves darling, and you are not it. You are a shape-shifter that can shift into a wolf. It could've been any form, but it took shape as a wolf. And I know about imprinting because I lived here for over five years during Ephraim Black's time. I remember the day he imprinted. He told me all about it as well" I tell him.

"Oh, okay. Um…this is really weird for me. No one has ever imprinted on someone not part of the tribe before and especially someone like you, um, I don't mean it in a bad way, I just mean a bloodsu… vampire. It's unheard of is what I mean" He stutters.

"I understand. This is just as weird for me as for you. I thought I would find my 'one', my mate in that of a vampire and then there you were" I reply.

Then came the awkward silence.

Five seconds later "So…" he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So…" I respond. "Okay look, this is strange. We don't have to be in a romantic relationship now. We can get to know one another first. Be friends and see where to go from there. Alright?" I tell him.

"Yeah, we can do that. That can work. Be friends" he says, looking relieved.

"Now let's start then, officially. My name is Althea Cullen. And my favourite colour is green and it's really nice to meet you" I tell him, making a show of shaking his hand. He chuckles at that, shaking my hand dramatically as well, replying,

"Hello Althea Cullen, my name is Paul Lahote, and my favourite colour is yellow. Nice to meet you too"

My father enters the room again.

"Well it's nice to see you are getting along fine. Althea, your mother and siblings are pestering me to see you. I can only hold them off for so long before they break the treaty and forcibly come and get you, especially Rosalie" my father says.

"Oh, how long was I out for exactly?" I ask.

"You were asleep for over a day" Paul interjects.

"Oh, that's not so bad. I've had worse. Luckily you gave me some blood" I say and my father nods in agreement.

"Alright, we should probably get home then" I say, and before I could continue speaking, Paul makes a strangled noise.

"What?" I ask him.

"Nothing" He responds quickly.

"No, that was not nothing"

"It's just…it's weird for me to think that you are leaving. My wolf is going crazy just thinking you're out of my sight" he says quickly.

"Well…I was actually thinking the same thing, that I find it difficult to think that I won't see you. I was going to suggest that we come up with something that we can spend some time together. Am not sure how the treaty works concerning me, cause technically I am not allowed here and neither is my family" I tell him, looking at my father when I mentioned the treaty and our family.

"As the chief of this tribe, I gave you and your father permission to enter onto our land. But you don't need permission anymore as you have become part of the tribe. We cannot, by our ancient laws reject you as an imprint even if you are a vampire, you cannot be harmed by our hand" Billy says.

"Oh" is my response.

"Oh indeed" Billy retorts back.

"What do you suggest we do Althea, with you know, seeing each other?" Paul asks.

"Maybe you can come visit later today. I know you don't like my family much as I saw your behaviour towards us before the imprinting happened. But maybe things will be different now. I can visit you. We can hang out on the beach, or go to the movies, anything really. So what do you think?"

"Yeah, that can work I guess. I don't think your family likes me much" he tells me.

"Well I can say the same about yours but I guess both of our families will just have to get over it" I tell him seriously.

'Seriously, our families will have no choice but to get over it. It's not like we can break the bond, no matter how hard we try. I mean, we still have to get over and used to the idea that we are meant to be together. We don't need them to make it that much more difficult for us' I think to myself.

"Let me give you my number so you can phone me when you are ready to come over. I will also need to prepare certain family members for your arrival then" I tell him and he groans. I raise my one eyebrow at him, daring him to challenge what I said, 'and what does he do, he challenges me. That mutt' I think in disbelief.

"How about you come over later instead of me coming to your place? You can see where I live then?" He asks. 'Is he serious?' I think.

"No. Not today" I respond.

"Why? I seriously don't want to come to the leech's…um…your lovely home and…um… ruin the happy atmosphere that I am sure my presence will impact in a negative way" he tries to save himself after using his derogative word describing me and my family, and he soon realized his mistake after giving him a 'the look', the one where hell can freeze over in seconds.

"Don't stress about it. You don't have to worry about coming over today" I tell him. "You have my number. Hopefully I'll see you soon" I tell him, disappointment and anger clearly in my tone of voice.

I turn around to Billy and say, "Thank you for your hospitality, I sincerely appreciate it. I would love to meet with you to tell you a bit about Ephraim. I think I still have a few photographs of him and the pack back then".

Billy gives me a nod, "I'd like that. Thank you" he says. I give him a smile, I then turned to Paul.

"Then we'll take our leave. I'll see you in town or something not to inconvenience the pack or you, or my family in any way" I tell Paul.

"I didn't mean it like that" he tells me sorrowfully.

"Like what Paul? Inconsiderate? Rude? Racist?" I ask him, my heart a little broken at our first sort-of fight/disagreement.

"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings" he says frustrated and looks ready to burst and not in a good way.

"Look, just phone me when you are ready to meet. We can talk then, alright?" I respond, just wanting to put an end to this.

"Alright" he agrees reluctantly, but his heartbeat has increased rapidly, especially for a shifter still in human form, his nostril flaring slightly. He took a deep breath in when Sam came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed a bit more.

My father and I left. On our drive there my father started, breaking the ice as well as my train of thought, "I never thought I would have a son-in-law one day who is so handsome" he says jokingly.

I chuckle and say, "Yeah, neither did I"

"I mean, did you see those abs?" he continues jokingly. 'My father is the best. He knows just what to say to lighten my mood'

"I did. Can you believe it? Are you jealous?" I continue to joke.

"Me, no never. Jealous, pfft" my father says dramatically, placing his hand over his heart. To other people, my father seems like this patient, kind and compassionate man, which is true, but they don't see his humorous side often.

As soon as we entered the driveway, everyone was here, excluding Bella.

"She's alive" Emmett comments.

"Of course I am. You know me, Althea the survivor" I tell him.

"We are so happy you are here, safe and healed up. Welcome home" Esme says.

"I'm happy to be home" I tell them truthfully, but at the back of my mind, all I want to do is to see Paul, to make sure he is okay. 'How weird is it that I miss him already and I don't even know him?'

"I was ready to bring you back home in a moment's notice. I don't trust those wolves and neither did you. And here you go, finding a mate in one of those mangy mutts" Rose says. I find it hard to control my temper when she insulted Paul, but I know she means well for me.

"I still don't fully trust them either. But that doesn't mean we are right in that department. They still smell awful though" I tell her. 'It's true. I might've imprinted on Paul but that doesn't mean there is trust. It's something that will come with time. The sad truth is that the tribe will never fully accept me either and therefore never trust me completely'.

Edward came over to hug me. "I'm so glad you are safe. When I saw through the wolves' minds what happened to you. I wished that I could've helped you".

"Don't worry about it Edward. It's over now. You were busy anyway, fighting Victoria. Father told me some of it on the way here" I tell him.

"Darl'n, I'm so glad you are alright. You got me worried there during the battle. Your blood never affected us before, and now here with the new-borns they went crazy. All of this was crazy" Jasper tells me.

"I didn't know it would happen like that. If I did, I would've told you" I tell them.

"Liar!" Edward hisses out angrily. "You had an inkling that this might've happened, and it did. You've had experience with a new born before".

I stare at him. 'Damn it. I hate mind-readers'

"Is this true?" my father asks calmly, but I could see he wasn't as calm as he appeared.

I glare at Edward, 'Douche' I think to him.

"In a way, yes, I had my doubts. It was one time that I came across a new born, and he attacked me for my blood. But I had no idea that that was going to happen to me yesterday. I thought it might've been just a onetime thing and with a onetime new born. You know I don't exactly smell human, but not entirely vampire either. I don't know if when I eat more human food, I smell more human and if I drink blood I smell more like a vampire. I've not really tested my theory on that one"

"You should've mentioned that to us. I would never have allowed you to fight had I known" My father tells me sternly.

"Then you should know that if I thought that situation with that first new born who attacked me those few years ago was significant in any way, then I still would not have mentioned it to you because I will fight for you no matter what" I respond to him.

"Guys, let's just go inside. We just got her back from the wolves. This shit happened and she is fine" Emmett interrupts us thankfully.

"Fine"

"Fine"

We headed inside. We ignored the subject of my attack as to keep the peace and instead filled me in on what happened afterwards. How Paul took me away and the rest carried Jacob Black. And then what happened when the Volturi arrived, and that they inquired why Bella was still human. The Volturi suspected nothing of me, fortunately.

We caught up until this very moment.

"Why did your mate have to be one of those wolves? And he is the more volatile one" Edward asks.

"I don't know. Must be fate messing with me again" I respond dryly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Althea POV**

"Family dearest. Paul might come to visit over the next few days" I tell them.

I hear a few groans from just about all my family members.

"Deal with it"

"But the smell" responds Rosalie.

"I know. But still. Deal. With. It" I tell them. 'Paul doesn't smell bad to me, like at all. Maybe it's the soulmate thing'.

"Do you know when he is coming?" Esme asks "I might make him something to eat as well".

"Um, I'm not sure. He was reluctant to come here. He wants me to go to the reservation instead" I tell them.

"But then you got angry" Edward says, chuckling.

I glare at him again.

"Ooh. Paul met the beast that is Althea Cullen today" Emmett jokes.

"I kept my cool, just ask dad" I tell them defensively, raising my hands. 'They know when they have pissed me off. I don't hold back for anyone, especially family'.

My father looked like he just ate a sour worm as everyone looked at him to answer, "She somewhat 'kept her cool'" my father replies, trying to sound diplomatic.

My father looks at me, "What, you did give Paul the cold shoulder"

"The poor man" Rosalie interjects with a snicker.

"I'm hungry" I tell them, getting up from the coach grumpily. 'Let them talk about me. Blah, blah, blah. I think I am moody because I'm so hungry and being away from Paul. This is frustrating'.

I went to the kitchen. I made my own vegetable soup, meaning, my veggies were cooking in a pot filled with human blood. The smell attracted my family. Jasper left to go hunt with Alice. Emmett, Rose and Esme came to sit with me as I made my soup.

"That's disgusting" Esme says.

"I know. But it's delicious" I reply. My cravings are strong today. I knew this was going to happen. It always happens when I have been injured; my cravings become stronger for human blood especially and I have acted on those instincts before when I was younger, especially during my first century as a vampire. I think my body is compensating for the cell damage it went through with the foreign venom.

It's nearly nightfall and I haven't heard from Paul yet. I sigh disappointed, eating my bloody soup.

**Paul POV**

I was so angry with Althea. I understand she is my imprint, but she is also a bloodsucker. She is one of them. I know she is different and I want her in my life. This is difficult for me. I can accept her, I don't know about her family though.

I don't want her around those other bloodsuckers. 'This is driving me insane'.

I have to go see her, but I don't want to go onto Cullen land.

"Argh" I yell out frustrated and I phase.

'Paul, man, what's got you angry?' Jared asks.

'Why did it have to be her? I am worse than Jacob with Bella. I made fun of her and Jacob. Bella is the leech-lover. Now look at me, I am the leech-lover'

'Yeah, that's ironic. Suck it up' Leah falls into the conversation.

'Shut up Leah'

'Whatever Paul' Leah says.

'I have to see her. I can't take this anymore' I think, running towards the Cullens.

It's already nightfall; the moon is shining brightly above in the sky. I hope she isn't angry with me anymore. Earlier I was furious. Did she not know that I hated vampires? Did she not know that they smelled awful? Did she not know that I want to tear her family to pieces?'

But the more I thought about it, I knew she knew it. But she wanted me to change. I wasn't someone who liked to change much. It was difficult for me in the beginning to accept myself when I first phased, but I enjoyed it too much to complain.

I never thought I would find my imprint, I don't deserve an imprint. I've slept with many girls, I've had many flings, and I am only seventeen years old.

Maybe we can only be friends. Friends for eternity, well until I die one day.

I see their house in view, it's a large mansion that smells of leech. But instead of finding Althea, my imprint, I find the bulky one standing next to the blonde leech.

I stop in front of them. "What do you want mutt?" The blonde asks.

I growl at her and the bulky one steps in front of her, and hisses out a warning.

'Damn it. I didn't come here to fight. I don't need this right now'

"Rosalie, Emmett!" Carlisle says from the doorway. 'At least he is somewhat likeable'.

I go behind a tree, phase back and put on shorts.

"Hey doc. As you see I came to visit" I tell him, trying to keep my tone light. 'Where is she? Shouldn't she be here greeting me? I mean I did just run here to see her'

"I can see that. But shouldn't you have called first. This is unexpected" he tells me.

"Yeah I know. I was impulsive right now. I just had to come see her. Speaking off doc, where is she?" I ask him nervously.

"Come inside. She is currently sleeping, so please keep it down. She doesn't often get to sleep, but I think the past few days has been too much for her"

He takes me into his house. He leads me into the living room where all the leeches were besides my imprint.

"Please take a seat" The doc says.

I do and I feel nervous all of a sudden. My hands tremble a bit, but all of a sudden I was calm again. I remember now one of the leeches has the ability to manipulate emotions. I hate it but at the same time it's very helpful in keeping me calm.

"Before she wakes up, I think we should talk" he tells me.

I gulp.

"Yes, about?"

"About my daughter. We all love her very much. She doesn't give her love and trust easily. And we don't want you to break her heart. I understand that you are starting off as friends, and this is great. But if you decide to take your relationship to more of a romantic one then let me tell you that if you break her heart, not only will I come after you and tear you apart, but so will my family, treaty be damned"

'Geez, he doesn't beat around the bush'

"No we don't" The mind-reader replies to my thoughts. "She is my sister, she has faced many hardships over her lifetime, and we don't want to see her suffer any more than what she has"

"I promise I will protect her and care for her all my life. I cannot harm my imprint. It's against our nature as wolves to harm our imprints. I understand where you're coming from, and I love it that you love her and that she has an amazing family to count on, but I still hate your guts but I'll try for her sake to get along with all of you" I tell them.

"Well mutt. We don't like you either. I think you are wrong for her, she deserves someone better than you, but that's just my opinion. We'll try to get along for her sake, but one wrong move and I will remove your head from your body" The blonde one, Rosalie says.

"The threats are nice and all but I really need to see her. Please. I won't do anything, I won't wake her up, I just need to see her. My wolf is going crazy" I tell them.

I see them look at each other and nod.

Carlisle then takes me upstairs to her room, he slowly opens the door and we both enter. She is laying down on her bed and under her covers. 'She looks like an angel' Her scent is driving me insane again. I want to touch her, but I am scared that I will wake her up. I see a couch by the window, I turn to Carlisle,

"Can I stay here please? I'll be quiet" I ask him. Normally I would just be brash and do what I want but I have to be careful here. I'm in the den of the enemy and it wouldn't do anyone any good if I was being rude to anyone here. I have to try to be better, for her.

"Very well. But keep your hands to yourself" He said and then left.

I laid down on the couch, watching her, counting her breaths. And soon I was lulled to sleep as well.

**Althea POV**

I wake up with the sun shining through my window and with the sound of heavy breathing. I sit up quickly. 'Paul?! What is he doing here?'

I can hear my family downstairs, Edward speaks up hearing my thoughts, "he came late last night and wanted to see you but you were sleeping for the first time in so long".

'And you didn't think to wake me up?' I think to him.

"No, you had a rough couple of days and you barely sleep anyway. You needed it" I sigh, 'Well no complaining about it now. Paul is here anyway'

I just sit on my bed watching Paul, 'like a stalker'. I hear Edward downstairs snickering. 'Like Edward when he watched Bella like a crazy stalker' I think smugly to him. 'That shut you up real quick, didn't it Edward?'

"Shut up" he grumbles downstairs.

I decide not to wake him up either, he probably needs sleep much more than what I do.

I sneak out of my room, listening if I woke him once outside in the hallway. 'Nope, still sound asleep'.

"Good morning family" I tell them with a bright smile on my face.

A chorus of 'morning' is all I hear. "Someone is happy today. I wonder why" Emmett states, wiggling his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner. And I do the mature thing and stick my tongue out at him.

I go to the kitchen and start on breakfast. I make decide to make banana pancakes combined with coconut flour for Paul and I.

"The mutt still here?" Rose asks with a disgusted look on her face.

"Yes. Isn't it great? I never thought he would come here. I can't wait for him to wake up" I tell her cheerfully.

She sighs, "Yeah, me either, then he can leave"

"Rose!" Esme scolds, "Paul can stay as long as he likes".

"Yes. Thanks mum" I tell her.

"What are your plans for today?" Esme asks.

"I'm not sure yet. I want to speak with Paul and see if he wants to do something today. I have to leave for a few days during this weekend to go to Germany again, and then make a stop in the Philippines for another few days. I have some business there" I tell her.

"Oh, alright. Be sure to let your father know as well. He had to go to the hospital earlier this morning for an emergency" Esme tells me.

"I'll let him know as soon as he comes home".

"And you have to discuss this with Paul. He needs to know some of the things that you do" Esme tells me quietly.

"Alright, I'll tell him".

After the food is done, I go upstairs to wake him up.

"Paul" I say softly, touching his arm. And he startles awake.

"Morning Paul"

"Hi, morning" He replies, relaxing a bit more.

"It was a wonderful surprise to see you here when I woke up. Thank you for coming" I tell him softly.

"I had to see you. I was going crazy just thinking that you were so far away from me".

I smile, "I made breakfast for us. Come on" I tell him.

"Um, maybe I should just go" He says awkwardly again. 'Maybe he should just shut the fuck up and stop making it so difficult for us'

"No. I spend all this time to make us breakfast, and now you just want to leave" I try to guilt him into it and he caves.

"Alright, I'll have some breakfast"

"Great" I reply brightly. I feel like a bunny on crack with the amount of excitement coursing through me.

We go downstairs, I hear my family in the living room and I take Paul to say hello. I nudge Paul. "Morning" he says grumpily.

We sit down at the kitchen island. Our plates already made.

"This looks and smell great. Thank you" He says to me.

"Go ahead, dig in"

We ate in silence.

"This is really good. You have to give me the recipe"

"Sure it's really easy. I'll write it down for you" I tell him.

"Are you busy today?" I ask him.

"I have to patrol later tonight. But I am free today" He tells me.

"Do you want to do something? We can go Seattle, get a coffee. We can stay here. Take a walk in the forest. Anything really. We have to talk" I tell him.

"Yeah, we do. We can go to Seattle if you want. I haven't been there in a while" He tells me.

"We can leave in half an hour if you'd like" I tell him.

"I don't have clothes with me. I'd have to stop at the res"

"That's not necessary. Alice!" I call out.

"Alright, I'll see what will fit him" Alice says.

"No, that's not necessary. I have my own clothes and besides, your clothes stink" He tells me.

"Really? The stench?! Don't worry too much about it darling. Alice bought clothes for us a few days ago and it hasn't been worn yet".

He conceded and we found some of the new clothes of Emmett that'll fit him.

We then left in my car to Seattle, with me driving. The drive was silent, but not that awkward.

We arrived at one of the malls, got out and headed for this lovely coffee shop, we picked a private area to sit at with no one around us to hear what we are speaking about.

"Thanks again for staying with me last night" I start.

"Don't mention it" he replies politely.

I clear my throat, "I guess I should start then. I was born in the year 1655…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Paul POV**

She looks at me with those beautiful green eyes and starts to speak.

"I guess I should start then" She says and takes a deep breath in. "I was born in the year 1655. Carlisle is my biological father. He married my mother when they were both around fifteen. But when I was really young, practically a baby, my mother died. I don't remember much of her, just that my grandfather disapproved of the union between my parents. I was around eight when everything really stared going downhill. You see my grandfather was a Pastor, and my father was to follow in his footsteps" she says, and I stop her before she could continue.

"Wait. Carlisle came from a Christian family?" I ask amused.

"Indeed. And so do I" she states with a role of her eyes.

"It's just funny that he is a vampire now. It's a bit weird to imagine" I tell her.

"Yes, yes. And I was also a good Christian girl. I prayed often. Went to church often and all that jazz. Can I continue now?" she asks, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, sorry for interrupting" I tell her, chuckling.

"So as I was saying, my grandfather and father led raids to hunt for the supernatural creatures in London at that time. They were highly regarded members of the community at the time. My grandfather couldn't go as often due to his age, and so my father carried the mantle so to speak. He led a raid one night and I followed. That was the night I witnessed my father get turned into a vampire. It was gruesome. Once the vampire who attacked my father left, I ran to him from my hidden spot. He was horrified that I was there even in his pain induced state. He begged me to leave but refused. I helped my father to find shelter and I then left. My grandfather kept a close eye on me after my father disappeared and once I could finally look for my father again a few days later, he was gone. I didn't know what had happened to him. I had this feeling that he was still alive though" she says, and I raise my hand like a school child.

"Yes?" she asks.

"How old were you when this happened?" I ask, thinking that maybe she was already twelve years old or older.

"I was eight" she responds. I stare at her in shock.

"Eight? Man, you were really young" I state.

"Why didn't you go to your grandfather for help then?" I ask. 'Normally kids would go to responsible adults for help?'

"My grandfather was a religious man. He would've burned my father at the stake if I had brought my father to his attention" she says.

"Oh" I reply. A part of me thinking, 'Maybe it would've been better had her grandfather burn him at the stake. He is a vampire now' and another part thinking, 'My poor imprint, at least she is with her father now and I might not have ever found her had this not happened'.

"Yes Oh. I didn't know where to find him. I had an idea where to look but I was too young and too scared to go looking for the coven of vampires in the London sewers. And when I was eleven years old, my life changed forever. It was 1666, I don't know if you have ever heard of the Great London fire during this time period, but it was one of the worst things that have happened in London?" I shake my head, history not being my strong suit.

"Well, a tragedy struck London and thousands of people lost their lives and homes in 1666 as the Great Fire ravaged the city. But I survived through a miracle, I discovered this at eleven years old that I healed incredibly fast. I thought it was witchcraft and a curse was placed upon me. I kept this secret in fear of my own family. My grandfather's church burned down as well, and I was inside cleaning the pews as it happened. One of the beams fell on my arm and it broke. I remember crying out in pain. It was awful. The fire spread quickly and I tried to escape but the fire was everywhere, I couldn't find the exit and the smoke was entering my lungs. I was suffocating and I felt the fire on my skin. I died" She says emotionally. My heart clenched at what she had to go through at eleven years old. I take her hand in mine.

I start to shake slightly just imagining her going through that.

She sighs. "It was a long time ago" she says. "I'm fine now, aren't I?" I nod.

"You can continue" I tell her having calmed down.

"I woke up then, not a scratch, not a mark, no burn on my body. I was terrified. I thought that if anyone found out I survived then I would've surely been hung. I kept it hidden all those years. Things then continued as normal, well mostly. We rebuilt the church and houses. People mourned but went on with their lives. I experimented with my ability in secret. I found out that I would heal from all sorts of wounds" she says.

"You hurt yourself?" I interrupt feeling horrified.

"Yes I did. It was the only way to know if it was a onetime thing. I had no idea if it was a gift from God or the devil. I would cut myself over and over and every time I would heal. When I was around fifteen a horse kicked me, I skid a few feet back. I was luckily alone when this happened, because my sternum was cracked and I had a few broken ribs. It took time for it to heal, a few hours at most. The older I got, the faster I healed"

"That's actually pretty cool" I tell her. "I have fast healing as well as a wolf".

"You know what, it really is cool" she agrees with a smile.

"I don't tell many people my story. My father knows a lot of it. I've told my siblings some of it as well. But people outside my family barely know. You are one of the few outside my family that know" she tells me. My heart warms at her confession.

"I appreciate you being so honest with me" I tell her. 'I am at this point that I can get over the fact that she is a leech. This imprint shit is strong'/

She continues with her story, "I don't remember everything that happened when I was human. I know I was close to marrying age and I was supposed to marry this wealthy guy. I can't remember his name. All I remember is that he grossed me out. I had hope that if I found my father, then he would be able to stop my grandfather from marrying me off" She says and I feel anger in me rise again, anger for her being forced to get married.

"Just calm down. I didn't marry the guy" she says again with a small smile.

I feel myself calm down at her words.

"I then searched for those vampires that my father hunted. I came across Johnathan and Belinda. They were the ones who turned me" she says but I interrupt again.

"What was their reasoning for turning you? Did you tell them about your father and then they just decided to turn you?" I ask her.

"No, it was nothing like that. It was unintentional from their part. I told them that I was searching for my father and that I had hoped to find him with them. I remember being so scared to come face to face with these creatures but I tried to be brave. How stupid I was!" she says with a dark chuckle, "I really was stupid to go looking for trouble. Belinda and Johnathan attacked me after I told them everything, they drained me of my blood and I died again. But you see Paul, my ability to heal was strong, I came back to life but I had their venom inside my body. My gift was not strong enough to heal me from the venom, and so it spread. For a human to become a vampire, it takes three days. For me it took around three weeks due to my gift. It was awful. My body rejected the venom constantly until my ability adapted to its situation and I transitioned into what I am today, part-human, part-vampire" she tells me.

'She is partly human. That's amazing!'

"But what about those vampires that turned you? Did they know you were transitioning? Did they leave you?" I ask getting upset over what these vampires did to her.

"Belinda and Johnathan was shocked when I came back to life. It was even worse when they realized I was changing. So they snapped my neck, and I came back to life again. And they did it again and again and again. They tried to kill me for hours but I still came back to life and eventually when I could speak I begged them to stop. Through my pain I told them about my healing and they understood better. They couldn't leave me. It is Vampire Law. They had to show me the ropes of how vampirism works and all that jazz…But after a week of turning, I begged them to find a way to kill me. During those few weeks they tried and failed and it was getting harder as I was slowly becoming a vampire. My skin became harder and harder even if my blood was still flowing, my senses became better but I still went through so much pain. None of us knew when it would finally stop. Belinda was worried that I would change for an eternity and I was doomed to be in pain for the rest of my life"

"I'm so sorry" I tell her.

"It's over now. Honestly I am fine. So where was I, oh, okay, so when I finally became a vampire, Johnathan and Belinda was there for me. I really despised them in the beginning. Johnathan forced me to kill people" she says ashamed.

"Why would he force you?" I ask angrily.

"Because I refused to drink blood. I thought it was disgusting. But at the same time it smelled so good. I didn't know at the time that I could survive without blood for long periods of time. It was all new to all of us. I was also weaker than the average vampire and was becoming weaker due to not drinking any blood after two days into my new life. Johnathan knew what I needed and he forced a man's throat into my mouth…I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed his blood. It was like heaven on earth. I felt like I was floating. And when reality set in, I shut down for days. I couldn't move, I had so much guilt weighing me down. I thought I was a monster" she tells me ashamed.

"I understand. I'm not angry with you. I am angry for you. I can't believe he forced you to do that" I tell her.

"Anyway, I started to get the hang of things. I stayed with Johnathan and Belinda for decades. They really stepped up and took responsibility of me. And after years, I wanted to travel the world and I wanted to find my father. I went to Asia first. It was amazing. I met these shape-shifters like you, and I don't mean just wolves, I mean tigers and jaguars, bears, falcons, and so much more. I've met wendigoes, and if you think vampires are bad, Wendigoes are so much worse, be grateful that your tribe has never encountered one of them before" she says seriously.

"You've met others like us?! I would love to meet these shifters, everyone from the pack would love to meet them" I tell her.

"I bet. But you are the only one I would take to meet them. I promised some of the people that I would keep their identities secret from the rest of the world" she says.

"What are wendigoes like? We have a few legends of them. Our tribe just always assumed that they were vampires".

"Wendigoes blend in more with humans. They are difficult to spot, but if you know what you are looking for, then you will find them. I've come across them in Europe and Asia mostly. But you will find them on every continent. I've been following one wendigo for years now. I have an idea where he is now but he hides really well here in America. Wendigoes are worse than vampires but they also have similar aspects. They have psychopath tendencies, they love to cause pain to others, and they enjoy the hunt of their prey. Wendigoes, instead of drinking blood, feasts on human flesh with much more vigour. They like to play games with people, but mostly out of curiosity to see what humans would do to survive and adapt. And, or just to have fun. Like me, they can survive on human food or just humans. They too have advanced senses, like their sense of smell is really good. When your legends speaks about Wendigoes, it's probably wendigoes and not vampires" she says.

"But as I said, I started to travel. I left Belinda and Johnathan behind. I did visit them often during the centuries that passed. I still do. I met witches, supernatural hunters, druids and true werewolves. Speaking of werewolves, a friend of mine called me two years ago to help out at here in America in a town called Beacon hills. That place is filled with werewolves and other supernatural shit you wouldn't believe. I think you would like to meet real werewolves and they would really like to meet you as well"

"That's really weird. I never knew there were so many supernatural things out there. It makes this world that much scarier now" I tell her, thinking of all the dangers in this world. 'How will I protect her? She has been exposed to the dangers of this world and I can't deal with the fact that she has been doing this alone for centuries. What if they hurt her? I know she can heal, but seriously' I think frustrated.

"The world is pretty crazy. But there is one more thing I want to tell you before I continue with my story"

"Okay, shoot" I tell her, feeling worried about what this could be.

"I have to leave this weekend. I'll only be gone for a few days. I'm heading to Germany as a favour to an old friend" she tells me, worry coating her voice.

"Oh. I don't know how I feel about that, or what to say".

"I'll be gone a week or two tops. I normally stay for months at a time, but due to our special circumstances, I don't think I'll be able to handle being away from you for too long"

"I feel the same. My skin crawls just thinking of not seeing you for a few hours, let alone a few days"

"I'll try to be quick. I promise" she tells me,.

"When did you find your father?" I ask her. 'If I think about her leaving, I'll drive myself insane'.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Paul POV**

"I found my father around 1793. Over a century after my change. An old friend of Johnathan told him that my father stayed with the Volturi, a strong coven of vampires for a few years and that after decades living with them, he decided to come to the new world. I found him hours before he left by ship to come here actually. He didn't remember me at first" she says.

"Wait, he forgot about you?!" I say shocked, interrupting her again.

"Yes he did. It's one of the things that most vampires lose when they change. Their memories become vague. They remember snippets of the past. It's hazy for my father. Vampires mostly remember their change" she tells me.

"That's just sad. What about you? Do you have the same problem?" I ask her curiously.

"No, I remember things pretty well. Sometimes I wish that I was normal so that I didn't have to remember all these things. It's painful"

"What happened when you found him? Your father I mean?"

"He was shocked to say the least. We got along swimmingly. I told him about my ability and what happened with my change. I stayed with him for years before I travelled again. I travelled to South America. I explored ancient ruins. I'll show you some of my finding when I have the time. I am currently trying to write a book of all the supernatural creatures in the world. Just don't tell anyone yet. My family doesn't know either. Anyhoo, my father was disappointed to see me leave, but he got used to it. Sometimes he travelled with me. He really is a supportive father and I am grateful for him in my life" she says with a smile.

"He doesn't seem so bad to me either for a leech" I tell her.

"Yeah, yeah. But call him a leech again and I'll take you down. My father really is great, especially with all the things he's had to deal with concerning me alone" she says with a smirk. 'Challenge accepted' I think, before realizing that maybe it's not such a good idea to antagonize my imprint on the first sort-of date.

"What did your father have to deal with then?" I ask curiously.

"A few things really, but one of the things are when my father got the shock of his life when I came home one day, bloodied. I was attacked by some sort of creature in the woods of a small town. I heard the stories of the beast in the woods and I was curious of course and I headed in. I am not sure what sort of creature it was, but I knew it couldn't see well and had amazing hearing. It lived in the woods and fed off of the wildlife from what I could gather. It would maim those who entered on its domain. And when I came onto its territory it attacked. It had no idea that I would survive. I went home injured and that's when my father saw me for the first time in such a state as you saw me a few days ago. He didn't let me out of his sight for weeks. But I tracked it down again. And I followed it around, learning all I could of it. It was hairy, big, reddish-brown eyes, face like a canine and had claws that looked like it was attached to human fingers. It wasn't as fast as the average vampire. Turns out, this creature had no idea what it was either because I followed it around and after a week, it changed into a man, who was confused, who didn't know where he was. I approached him cautiously and questioned him. I told him what I saw he was. He said that he lost time, weeks at a time and that no one in his village knew where he was. He always used the excuse that he was trading. He was afraid of all the terrible things he had done. I visited him often in those woods, and then one day, he was gone. Not a trace to be found of him. It was really strange.

I told my father eventually, who was pissed that I risked my life like this, especially that I had no idea what this person was. But my father never tried to stop me from travelling and exploring the world, no matter how many times I could see he wanted to stop me"

"I can't believe you were so reckless. I have a feeling that this is just a small story and you've faced similar things on a regular basis" I tell her shaking my head.

"You have no idea" she states.

**Althea POV**

Our date is going great. I've told him a lot of my story. I told him how I was changed and how I travelled. I told him about my family and a few of my friends. I didn't tell him everything yet, so that I can get to know him as well on this day. And so in turn he spoke to me about his life.

"My dad left when I was young. And my mother died when I was ten years old. My grandmother raised me. But she is old now and living in and old age home. I stay in her house alone. I changed into a wolf over a year ago. And since then I've hunted vampires. There you have it, that's my story." he tells me quick.

'Seriously, how is that his story? That's barely even four sentences, although, he is seventeen years old, he hasn't lived like I have'

"What was it like the first time you changed?" I ask him

"It was scary. I had no idea what I was doing, or what was happening to me, but I soon came to enjoy it. The strength, the speed and my dashing good looks" he says the last part in an awful English accent.

"I agree. You are strong and fast, and I do so adore your dashing good looks" I reply in a posh accent. And then I burst out in giggles and so does he, but he sounds more manly.

"This Thursday there will be a bonfire on the rez, do you think you can come? I want to introduce you to everyone, and it will show everyone that you aren't that bad for a vampire" He asks me.

"I don't know. It'll be weird and everyone will stare. I would love to meet everyone, but I don't think everyone would like to meet me" I tell Paul.

"People are reluctant, but they will have to get used to you, to us" he tells me.

We left our story time at that and went home.

**Two days later:**

I got dressed for the bonfire, got in my car and drove to the reservation. As soon as I entered the area, I could see Paul's wolf from the shadows of the trees following me. I have no idea where to go besides to the Blacks.

I parked my car, Billy came out of the house and greeted me. Paul came from the forest, shirtless. 'Damn, he looks good' I think with a smirk.

"Hi Thea" he greets, standing in front of me. "Are you ready for the bonfire?" he asks me.

Instead of replying, 'Sure, I am super ready to get judged based on my evil vampire side, and to get glared at by all of your family and friends, and be treated with the most disdain since the plague's existence. Let me put on a fake smile just to ease your worries and pretend I have utter confidence in this very situation'

But no, here is my actual reply, "Yeah. I can't wait to hear some of the stories you spoke about" 'Even if Ephraim Black told me all about it'

We headed to the beach and the small tribe was there. And true to my prediction, I see just about all of them looking at me with disdain, except for Billy. Jacob isn't glaring at least.

"Hello Paul…and Althea" greeted Jared, followed by the rest of the pack.

"Hi everyone" I reply awkwardly.

I sat down next to Paul on a log. No one else sat next to me, or close to me in any way.

Billy began with how the wolves started. The spirit warriors and such, he went on about the cold ones. They all stared at me when he mentioned the cold ones, and Leah even sneered at me. Paul hissed at her.

"Stop it. I want to listen to the story. He is getting to the good part" I tell Paul, easing his tension slightly.

"How do you know he is getting to the good part _leech_?" Leah screeched out.

I roll my eyes. "Well, if the vampires attacked and killed everyone in tribe then we wouldn't be sitting here right now having this inane chat between you and I" I tell her annoyed.

"Enough!" Billy snaps.

Everyone is quiet and Billy starts the story again. He spoke about the third wife, the imprint. He finished the story and everyone went to grab something to eat. There was a lot of food, and I can't eat a lot of it. There were pies, burgers, hot dogs, cupcakes of which I couldn't eat. I know I ate that burger those few weeks ago, but it really does a number on me and I refuse to put my body through that again. So now I am stuck with a lovely green salad.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Paul asks quietly.

"Well, I can't eat everything else. I'll be sick" I tell him.

"Why would you be sick?" Seth speaks up, and everyone stares once again.

"Certain foods make me ill. Like anything with flour in it. It's funny, isn't it, that I have gluten intolerance?" I say amused.

"Oh, yeah, that is really funny" Seth replies. Leah sits next to him and whispers to him to stop talking to 'the leech'.

"You know I can hear you" I state to Leah.

"Mind your own business" she grounds out.

"I'm not looking for trouble. This is not easy for me either. I don't trust you, like you don't trust me. Paul and I are trying to get to know one another, and both of us are dealing with this bond that we have, and trying to get over our prejudices. We don't need you, ANY of you to make this more difficult" I say to her, but I was speaking to everyone here as well. Paul grabs my hand trying to calm me, "I'm not done" I say to my mate.

"You don't trust me. I understand. One of your pack brothers imprinted on me, a leech" I say seriously but the last word I say sarcastically. "All of you have seen that I am different from my family. I have no need to kill humans for their blood. I can eat human food. But still you keep this against me. I had no choice in this life. I didn't choose to be a vampire. In fact, the vampires who turned me killed me initially but I changed anyway. For years I craved for a mate, and now that I have one, I feel like you are making this much more difficult than needed. If you are offended, build a bridge and get over it. Paul is part of your family, and is now part of mine. Deal. With. It".

Everyone was silent. "Well, at least we know where you stand" Billy says humorously after our tense silence. Leah huffs and walks away. "She'll get over it" Jacob says.

"We'll be fine" Paul tells me. "Come on, let's take a walk"

"Are you alright?" he asks me eventually.

"No" I tell him annoyed, more with myself than anything else.

"What was that back there?" He asks.

"I hate prejudice. I hate it when people judge me based on untrue facts. Everyone there is afraid of me, except for Billy, he is pretty cool but I can tell, I am not blind. They don't like me, and neither will they trust me for years to come. They hate that you imprinted on me and they hate the fact that I am here with you. I hate the fact that this is so difficult for me to deal with all this dramatic shit".

"I get it. I've always been the hot headed one. I lost my temper more times than I could count. I've hated vampires since I learned of them. And look at me now. I am holding hands with one, even if you are different" he says.

"I can't wait for the Christmas holidays. Do you think we can arrange a large family dinner? Yours and mine combined?" I ask jokingly, just imagining the disaster it will be. Rosalie and Leah going head-to-head. Jacob and Edward glaring at one another and Bella in the middle. Billy and Carlisle sharing a look and a sigh. Sam and Jared standing one side with their imprints, keeping them away from the vamps.

"I think we can. Does your family have life insurance?" He jokes with.

"They've never needed it, but I can convince my father to get some. How about the pack?" I ask.

"I'm not really sure. But if this Christmas dinner is happening I'll have to speak to them about it". He chuckles.

We give each other a long look, full of seriousness and then burst out laughing.

"Everyone is getting used to this. They have no choice either way. You'll see, everything will work out" he tells me.

"Okay, I believe you" I tell him.

We finally sit down.

"On a more serious note. I am leaving tomorrow" I tell him.

"I know" he states disdainfully.

"I'll call you as often as I can and it won't be long until I see you again"

Later that evening I went home, finished packing and went to my father's office.

"Can I come in?" I ask politely.

"Of course daughter" he says, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I just want to sit here while you work. Is that alright?" I say.

He nods, I lay down on the couch, closing my eyes.

My father sits next to me, I open my eyes and I move to rest my head on his shoulder, he had a book in hand to read.

We said nothing for hours as we sat there. 'I miss this so much'.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

I left Friday morning for Germany. Paul came by to see me off. It was sad and my heart clenched but I gave my word that I would go back to that old witch.

There is trouble brewing in the witch community again.

I arrived in the black forest, and searched for my old witchy friend. This forest is filled with supernatural beings, and I have to tread carefully as not to offend them. They don't like outsiders, even if I have been coming here for centuries, they still view me as an outsider.

"Guten tag Althea, wie geht's?" The old witch asks me.

"Guten tag Marijke. I'm good and you?" I ask her.

"I am well old freund. I have not seen you in such a long time. Come there is much to tell you" she tells me, beckoning me to her home.

"You still look good for your age" I comment with a raised eyebrow. 'She is almost as old as me'.

"So do you, but not only do you have vampirism on your side but your healing to factor in, and that is also why I look so good for my age, because of you" she says with a smirk.

"I don't know how you did it, but I find it fascinating that you are able to use my blood to prolong your life" I tell her.

"It helps when you have magic on your side. Especially when I have to alter your venom in your blood so that I do not turn into a creature of the night, ein vampire" She tells me.

"Do you still have werewolf problems?" I ask her.

"No, the wolves have been behaving themselves. The problem comes with the other witches and what they sense. There has been a stirring in the natural realm for months now. Every witch can feel it as they are more finely connected to nature. Some supernatural people can feel it as well, especially those connected to nature. You know when I messaged you to get ready for a trip to the Philippines?" she says, I nod.

"Yes, I packed for that as well, but what is it that you sense?" I tell her confused.

"Well, it's a sense of impending doom. We don't understand it, but we know that something dangerous will come. All the witches and warlocks around the world that I know I've contacted, we all sense the change coming and we don't know how to stop it. We have contacted the druids and they sense it as well as some wood and water nymphs I know in the forest. A friend of mine did a spell of knowledge, one which hints to the Philippines where we shall hopefully find our answers"

I frown at what she is telling me. 'I wonder what could stir such concern in all these people, what could this 'doom' be?'

"I've never heard of something like this before. What made you think that I could help?" I ask her.

"You are very resilient. You are knowledgeable, trustworthy and kind. Those are admirable traits to have. I have been inside your mind for those blocking spells. I know the way you think and solve problems. You have met many supernatural creatures as well, and as such have many contacts to see who can help. We need you to help us find the problem and solve it. We are a small community of witches and warlocks globally and we are not enough" she says. 'I've never seen her frightened of anything like this before'.

"So this feeling, this sense, is one of doom? And you think that it's connected to nature in some way and that it will affect the whole world?" I ask to clarify.

"Yes, in der tat. This is what we think" she tells me.

"I think I am going to be here longer than a week" I tell her disappointed.

"You sound sad old freund. This is not like you. Do you miss your family already?" Marijke asks.

"I've met my mate over a week ago. I told him I would be gone for a few days. I have a feeling I won't see him as soon as I hoped" I tell her.

"Ah, young love. It's so sweet. But why has he not come with. It's unusual for a mated vampire to travel alone?" she asks me.

"It's because he is no vampire but a shape shifter who protects his people from the likes of me and my family. It's a strange relationship currently and no love involved except the mating bond. I can feel the pull now as we speak" I tell her sadly.

"All will be well. You will see my freund" she tells me encouragingly.

"Onto other matters. What are we going to do now?" I ask her.

"We are going to visit a friend of mine. Johan. He is a warlock. He doesn't live too far away and we can get there by car sooner than trekking through the woods"

We left in one of her cars to a different village that is still within reach of the black forest. We stopped at a quaint little house that Esme would adore.

We knocked at the door and a man in that looked to be in his forties opened the door.

"Ah, Marijke. Halo. Wie geht es dir?" he asks her, but casts a glance at me.

"Ich bin gut und du?" she replies.

"Gut, gut. Wer ist das?" he asks who I am.

"My name is Althea Cullen, I am a friend of Marijke" I reply.

"Althea Cullen. Ah, Marijke has spoken about you before. You are the hybrid" he exclaims in a strong german accent.

"I hope its all good things" I joke with him. He looks like a chap who can take a joke and indeed he does as he laughs slightly.

"Come in, come in" he ushers us inside.

He made some good, strong coffee for us to drink. It really was so good. I think my eyes rolled back in euphoria.

"This is really good Johan. What did you put in it?" I ask him.

He chuckles. ""It's really funny. I did a small spell that put the essence of blood in your coffee without actual blood. I am experimenting".

"That's really strange but I like it" I reply.

Marijke started us off with the gloom and doom conversation.

"Johan, I was telling Althea here about what is happening. She is here to help us"

"Marijke and I have travel plans to go to Asia, the Philippines especially. I have a good sense that we will find some answers there. Right now we are blind to whatever is causing our senses to spike" he tells me

"We'll find out what this is" I tell them sincerely. 'If this affects my family and my mate, I will find a way to put a stop to it'.

I phoned my family first that day, "Hi Edward, I missed you yesterday" I tell him over the phone.

"I was with Bella" he states.

"I know. I just wish that I could've hugged you before I left. Now I will just have to hug you longer when I come back" I tell him and he chuckles.

"Sure, I have no problem with that"

"Can you give the phone to dad?" I ask him.

"Sure, here he is" Edward replies.

"Althea darling, is everything alright?" My father asks concerned.

"Everything is fine, well mostly. I can't go into details now, but I don't think I will be coming home as soon as I thought" I tell him.

"You're not hurt, are you?" he asks, still concerned.

"Whose hurt?" I hear Emmett ask in the background. 'He must've just come inside the house.

"No, father, I am not hurt. Some problems came up with my friend and we are trying to solve them" I tell him.

"Well alright, keep it secret then. But please let me know if you need my help" he tells me.

"I will, I promise" I tell him.

"Have you told Paul yet?" he asks me.

"No, I am calling him right after I speak to you" I tell him.

"Do you know how long you will be there?" he asks me.

"No, I have no idea, hopefully not more than two weeks. We are heading to Asia tonight to see if we can solve this problem" I tell him. 'At least he sort of knows where I'll be'.

"Goodbye then my child"

"Send Esme my love please" I ask of my father.

"Will do".

We ended the call and I phoned Paul.

"Thea!" Paul says excitedly.

"Hi Paul!" I reply with enthusiasm as well.

"So you arrived safe and everything I assume?" He asks.

"Yes. I am safe and sound"

"Well I am glad. I can't wait to see you. Do you feel the pull as well?" he asks.

"I do and it's really shitty too" I say.

"I know. My heart aches at the thought of not being able to see you" he tells me disappointed.

I sigh, knowing I have to tell him that I have to stay here longer, stay away from him longer. I wish he could come here but at the same time not. I don't want him in danger.

"Paul. I'm sorry but I have some bad news" I start.

"You are going to be away for longer, aren't you?" he deduces.

"Yes. Unfortunately" I respond.

"Why?" he asks brusquely.

"My friends here in Germany needs me. There is some trouble that I am helping them with" I reply, even with him not giving away too much information.

"What is it that they need your help with? Aren't they vampires who can take care of themselves?" He asks agitated. I sigh again.

"No, they aren't vampires. I can't say more now, but I will tell you as soon as I can. I promise" I say to him.

I can tell he is angry, I can hear his heavy and quick breathing over the phone.

"Fine then. Don't tell me!" he snaps.

"Please don't be like that. I don't want to fight over the phone" I tell him.

"This isn't fighting" he grinds out. "This is you not telling me where you are or what trouble you are in. I can't stand the idea that you are hurt or will get hurt" He says angrily.

"Alright. I understand. Can we just talk about other pleasant things for the moment? I don't want to be sad or angry or worried right now"

He calms down a little and we started talking about what I've seen around here.

"It's so beautiful and peaceful here. I think you might like it" I tell him.

"can you send me some pictures?" he asks.

"Of course. I'll take a few now of the trees and everything and send them to you asap" I tell him.

We ended the conversation after him telling me he had to patrol.

True to my word I took pictures of the forest and the quaint little houses and sent them to Paul.

Later that evening Marijke, Johan and I left for the Philippines. I took some pictures during our ride to the airport, a selfie of me standing before the plane. And then I took a picture of me in the Manila airport. We had a lay-over. We had to meet another warlock in Cebu city. I've been there before. I really love the way the people greet you with their eyebrows and I love how they can never give you specific directions when you ask for them.

I met a wendigo here once, but it was when I was traveling the over populated city of Manila. A great hunting ground for not only vampires but wendigoes as well.

We are meeting up with the warlock tomorrow, his name is Arniel.

Tomorrow came and we got introduced.

"Nice to meet you Althea, It's not often that I meet a hybrid, especially one like yourself. It's marvellous" Arniel says.

"Nice to meet you as well Arniel. I can say the same about you. You are probably the fourth warlock I've met in the last three centuries" I tell him excitedly.

"I can believe that. Our communities are small and well hidden" he responds.

"So what do you have for us?" I ask him Johan and Marijke standing next to me.

"We did a locating spell and we believe that whatever this thing is, is in the area, or was in the area. Hopefully we can find it. The only problem is that it is in the middle of the ocean" he tells us.

"Do you have a boat ready for us?" Marijke asks.

"Yes. We do have one ready. We were just waiting for you" he responds.

We go to one of the docks of Cebu and leave on boat to an unknown location. They have a map of the Philippines on a small table. Arniel and Johan are doing a spell, directing us to where we should steer the boat.

Finally after an hour we reach a general location from their spell. The shocking thing that we find there is absolutely nothing, like zilch, zero, nil, nada. We are staring at the ocean.

"So now what?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. But do you sense that?" Marijke asks the others.

"Yes. The feeling of impending doom is getting stronger" Arniel says ominously.

"Oh, that's not good" I say stupidly.

"There is only one way to find out" Marijke says, giving me a look.

'This is going to suck' I think.

"Very well. I'll take a look. At least I can hold my breath for long. By the way, did none of you think to bring any diving gear?"

"Diving gear is expensive" Arniel says, shrugging his shoulders.

"At least the mermaids aren't close by" I mutter.

"What mermaids?" Arniel asks.

"You don't know?" I ask in disbelief. 'A local warlock has no idea that there is a massive mermaid colony in the Philippines. Although, this country does have thousands of islands'.

"No, what…where are the mermaids?" he asks in disbelief.

"Years ago when I came here to the islands, I came across mermaids. I'm not going to tell you where exactly though" I tell him.

"Alright. It's just strange. I've never met a mermaid before, or knew they existed. I thought they were extinct"

"Let's get the show on the road" Marijke says impatiently.

I jumped in the water and swam down. I feel dread building in me, making me wish I was with Paul and my family. I swim faster and reach the bottom of the ocean. I look around me. If a human had come down here they would not be able to see anything.

I feel my senses going haywire and I can feel danger all around me. I have no idea where it's coming from, but I need to get out of here.

My eyes widen at what I see and I start to pray, because this, whatever this is, just scared the bejesus out of me.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Althea POV**

I can't believe my eyes. I'm staring at a massive stingray that just started to move underneath me, and I don't mean massive as in a ten meter shark. I mean Godzilla sized stingray if not bigger. I am standing right on top of it.

It's moving fast underneath me. I can feel the water vibrate all around me as it moves. I really need to get out of here but I can't seem to move.

The water vibrates, I can feel it heat up around me. It yells out, I can't even cover my ears to the loud, and I mean very loud, eardrum bursting sound. The ground shakes and it swims away from me, its tail hits me and I travel through the water with a powerful force for about twenty meters in five seconds. 'I have to breathe' I think as my air was knocked out of me only moments ago.

I swim up and take a deep breath in as soon as I got to the surface.

I see Marijke, Arniel and Johan far away from me as the boat shakes back and forth with the massive waves created by the stingray.

"Guys!" I call out to them, they can't hear me. I start to swim towards them.

"HEY!" I call out again and they spot me. Johan looks like he is about to throw up with how green he is.

"Look, there she is" Arniel says. He turns the boat in my direction and struggles to steer it towards me. I feel exhausted all of a sudden. 'That hit really did something. I'm sure I have bruised and or cracked ribs'

They pull me into the boat when they finally reached me.

"What happened?" Marijke asks.

"You won't believe what I just saw" I tell her, still breathing deeply.

"What, what did you see?" she asks me.

"A fucking stingray" I answer her.

"A stingray? A stingray, you can't be serious" Johan responds still looking freen.

"Yes, and I don't mean your normal friendly looking stingray. I mean a gigantic, Godzilla-like stingray. It was massive. It's probably hundred and fifty meters long and its tail is not that far off either" I reply thinking back on the hit I just suffered minutes ago.

"How is that possible? Do you think this thing is what is causing the distress among the supernatural or what could cause harm to the Earth?" Marijke asks.

"I'm not sure how this is possible. I wouldn't have believed you if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I landed on it and I didn't notice until it started moving. It was hiding beneath the sand. It causes the water to vibrate just by moving, just imagine what else it could do. I couldn't move at all. We have to find out more about it and what it's capable of" I tell them.

"What happened up here?" I ask them.

"Not long after you went down, and probably when you reached the bottom, waves started rising all around us. The boat nearly tipped over with the amount of waves it caused" Arniel replies.

"Can we track it again?" I ask my fellow magic-wielders.

"I think so" Marijke responds at the same time as Arniel who says, "I hope so".

"Do you really think this is what we are looking for?" Johan asks.

"I think it's highly likely. It left but its very presence sent chills down my spine. I could feel it controlling the water around itself somehow" I say.

Over the next few days we searched high and low for this creature. In the end spells were not enough to track it. We used technology to trace it. We could track it as it had created tidal waves wherever it went. And in those few days I met other supernatural people with whom we worked with to find a way to stop this creature. We learned more about it, and then finally we had a breakthrough in the form of a supernatural guardian.

This guardian is part-human, part-hellhound. Well, I use hellhound as that is the common name for him, but he is no demon as some cultures would call him. No, he is someone who can shape shift into that of a supernatural canine. He has advanced senses much like a vampire, and can control fire as the legends go. It's pretty cool and scary when he shifts. His name is Deano. He comes originally from Venezuela.

Deano spoke about how he was tracking these scientists and discovered that they were experimenting on just about everything, including our dear stingray. The research that he came across was that the stingray was just minding its own business when the scientists showed up and studied it. They wanted to see what it's capable of. What they didn't know at the time that it is a sentient sea creature and understood what was being done to him. It didn't want to fight back for it knew what it was capable of. It had lived for thousands of years in harmony with the Earth and all it contained until now. It was being tortured and it couldn't take it anymore. It tried to hide and each time he was found. And the last time, I found him.

I have an inkling of who these scientists are, because less than two decades ago I was I was kidnapped by supernatural scientists. They kidnapped not only me, but others like me. They kidnapped werewolves, shifters, vampires and different hybrids. They had witches and druids all being experimented on. They were fascinated by my healing ability and tried to replicate it if possible. After weeks of being there I escaped, although not before burning the place to the ground, including their experiments. I thought I got rid of all of them. My family had no idea what happened to me and I tried to forget all what happened there. They are not my main problem now though. We have to stop the stingray first then worry about our other problems.

I can hear Marijke and Arniel speaking with Deano about where its heading next, to the coasts of Southern Africa. The monitors showcasing the tidal waves as it swam from Asia and parts of Europe to the South-West Indian ocean, between Namibia, Madagascar and the Republic of South Africa. We monitored the ray for hours until it stopped close to Durban, a large city in South Africa. It then moved back and forth between the shores of Namibia, Madagascar and the South African coast line.

"What's the plan?" I ask them.

"I think we should go to South Africa" Marijke answers.

"And then what? Follow it until it wreaks havoc worldwide with its supernatural stingray abilities to cause massive tidal waves that can wash away major cities" Johan asks sarcastically.

"No need for snide remarks" I respond with a sneer.

"Can we kill it?" Marijke asks.

"Maybe, but why should we? It was minding its own damn business until idiots decided to bother it. Maybe we can communicate with it" I suggest.

"That's your idea, to speak with a creature under the sea, who will most likely not understand you and then kill you and then us" Johan says annoyed.

"Well I don't see you giving any good suggestions" I respond.

For over a week now we have been coming up with solutions to problems and it feels like it's a never ending cycle, the problem comes, we solve it, and then there is another problem. All of us, especially Johan and I have been irritated and annoyed beyond belief. The thing is, he is annoyed because he misses home and his daughter whom is studying in somewhere in Sweden. Me on the other hand, I want to see my mate, I feel agitated and I could really go hunting right about now to alleviate my thirst for blood. Right about now I wish I could eat Johan for his annoying chatter.

"We should go to South Africa. We can fly into Durban, rent a boat and head out to sea and find it again" suggests Arniel.

"But the question still remains, and then what?" Marijke asks.

"A creature that size will be close to impossible to kill. We need other options" I say to them.

"But it is possible. Maybe if we can get enough vampires together and maybe the mermaids to band together then we can kill it" suggests Arniel.

"No. The vampire community does not need to know that they aren't the biggest, baddest things in the world. Ignorance is bliss. And this is not the way for most of them to find out that there are other supernatural creatures in existence. And besides, the mermaids will never help you. They would rather eat you than harm something like the stingray" I tell them.

"Fine, we get it. No killing" Arniel says raising his hand in a surrender motion.

"What if we can get inside its mind?" asks Johan suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I ask intrigued.

"We have spells that could send a living conscience into another mind. I've done this spell on myself and a friend before. But maybe we could alter the spell and send it to the mind of the Stingray" Johan suggests, finally being helpful.

"That could work. Deano, as you said before, it is a sentient creature and therefor it could understand us. If we could talk to it, convince it to stop what it's doing, then we could actually stop it, but only peacefully" Marijke says.

"Brilliant" I respond with a bright smile.

"Let's do this then" Johan says and finally we get a smile from him for the first time in three days.

Arniel and Deano books us a flight to South Africa and we are leaving in three hours' time.

Now all I have to do is to phone Paul again. I want to but I don't want to either. I spoke to him two days ago and he was really annoyed with me, he is threatening to come here and bring me home, not that he could, cause one, he is seventeen and two, he does not have a passport. We fought about the whole thing and that was how we ended our phone call.

I pick up my phone, "Hi Paul" I greet my mate calmly.

"Finally phoned I see" Paul greets back rudely.

"What can I say, I missed your rude 'hellos'. I'm phoning to say that we are close to solving the problem" I tell him.

"You said that two days ago" he responds with heavy breathing.

"I know, but I don't know what else to say. A week ago I had no idea how to solve the problem, a few days ago we had a breakthrough and then we hit another road block. Now we are getting closer and closer each day. I'm still not sure when I'll be home exactly. I promise, you'll be the first to know besides Alice"tell him.

Thinking of Alice, I wanted to involve her, but to do that I need to involve my family. And she should've had a vision of the world ending or something and would've called, so I left her and my family out of it. I rarely involve any of them in my travels, 'why start now?'

"Can you at least tell me what the problem is? Maybe I can help" Paul asks me again for the fourth time in the past week.

"No, not yet. I'll tell you if I come back home" I respond thinking of the danger that is to come.

"Not "if", but 'When'", Paul corrects me and I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll come home soon" I tell him.

"You better. But on a time scale, would it be three days or another week?" he asks. I can hear the desperation in his voice. I understand it completely, I'm going mad with not being with him right now, but I have to keep my cool.

"We are flying to Africa in a few hours. We believe the solution will be there" I tell him.

"Africa?!" he shouts in disbelief.

"Yes, it'll be around a fourteen hour flight from here" I respond calmly.

He groans and I then I groan.

"You are impossible" He states.

Paul POV

It's been over a week since she left and my wolf is dying to have her here with me. She hasn't dropped any hint about what the problem is or where she is exactly, not even her family knows.

A few days ago we had a fight over the phone. Now I'm speaking to her again, still frustrated with the situation.

"Can you at least tell me what the problem is? Maybe I can help" I ask her again. It's killing me that I can't help her. She doesn't understand what I'm going through.

"No, not yet. I'll tell you if I come back home" she says and for the first time I get chills down my spine just thinking that she might not come home alive, even if thinking logically about her healing gift.

"Not "if", but 'When'", I correct her quickly, 'she has to come back'

"Yeah, yeah. I'll come home soon"

"You better. But on a time scale, would it be three days or another week?" I take my chance again.

"We are flying to Africa in a few hours. We believe the solution will be there" she tells me all blasé.

"Africa?!" I yell out, 'She can't be serious. First Germany, then the Philippines and now Africa.

"Yes, it'll be around a fourteen hour flight from here" she says.

I groan out and because of my groan, she does the same.

"You are impossible" I tell her.

"I know. And I'm sorry about all of this. I will come home as soon as possible, I promise" she says softly.

I sigh in defeat, "I know. Please call me as soon as you land"

"I will" she responds.

"I don't want to say 'bye'" I tell her.

"Neither do I"

"Althea, we have to go, get your bags!" I hear a woman's voice shout to my imprint.

"I'll be there in a minute!" my imprint yells back.

"If you don't come in the next thirty seconds, we might get stuck in traffic. You know how these roads get!" the woman yells at my imprint annoyed.

"I guess you have to go now" I tell her despondent.

"I'm sorry. I'll call you soon, alright?" she says.

"Okay, I can't wait. I'll be waiting"

"Bye" we say at the same time and she giggles a little. 'She sounds so beautiful' I think. Her voice calms me down. Every time I get angry and lash out I now think of her to calm me. Even Sam used that technique on me yesterday when I freaked out over Embry making fun of me and my imprint. I attacked him in wolf form without thinking.

Sam said in his alpha voice, "Paul, think of Althea. Just focus on her, her voice, and her scent. When you see her in your mind, picture her eyes looking right at you, picture her holding your hand. Her very touch calms you" as he went on and on, I calmed much quicker than what I normally would. I was relaxed after that. I'm so happy that she phoned me today.

I phased and started my patrolling.

'I wish I had a passport right about now' I think.

'Dude, why don't you just apply for one it only takes six weeks?' Quil asks logically.

'That's not a bad idea. But my imprint won't be gone that long anyway' I tell him, still running around the perimeter.

'Dude, really? You said that she travelled a lot. Maybe you should consider getting one just in case' he responds.

'I'll go check it out tomorrow' I vow.

**A/N: There we have it, another chapter. Let me know what you think. I'll hopefully update in the next few days and then we'll see what will happen in South Africa. **

**By the way, as you have probably noticed, I've added more supernatural creatures just because I think it's ridiculous that in the books there are only Vampires, Wolf-shifters and Werewolves, as well as people with supernatural abilities. Why not other things as well? So this is why I am exploring the different ideas of many other species. Our world is a big place, and has a lot of beauty in it, so let's share that, even if it is an impossible giant stingray :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Althea POV**

We arrived safely in Durban, South Africa. We booked a hotel close to the harbour. We all decided to take a much needed rest for a few hours, it was still quite early in the day here. I phoned Paul again, but he must've been on patrol, so I sent him a message instead letting him know that I am safe and have arrived at our destination. We all ate some lunch and then we were on our way to the harbour and when we arrived, there was a boat already waiting for us. Turns out, there's this pastor here who is attuned to nature and was gifted with foresight, it's his ability and he felt a disturbance in the air. He is a little strange, 'but aren't we all?' I think.

He got us a good enough boat to travel to the stingray and a GPS with the coordinates we got from the tidal wave research. Marijke, Johan and Arniel worked together during the long flight and even now with little rest to send my conscious to the stingray I now have dubbed 'Ray Ray' that would make Emmett proud of me.

I am wearing a scuba diving wetsuit. I at least have the proper equipment this time, such as the wetsuit and an oxygen tank. Arniel, Johan and Marijke drew these symbols around my head like a crown, even on my scalp through my hair, around my wrists and ankles and a circle of them around my heart on my chest and back. I am not sure why but that's how it works apparently. They used an ink that won't be washed away by the ocean water alone. They called this 'runes'. I hid my face with a hoodie when we went out in public. On the boat, we travelled over nine miles out to sea. The closer I got, the more nervous I became. 'I don't know if I can do this'.

All I had to do was get close enough to it and the spell would activate.

We arrived at our destination.

"Are you ready?" asks Johan nervously.

"I think so" I reply just as nervously. "Are you ready as well?" I ask them.

"We believe so" he responds, nodding towards everyone else who looks nervous as well.

We discussed different scenarios in case things went wrong. If I did not succeed, and they would notice the weather changing and that shit is about to hit the fan, that they would get out as soon as possible even if it meant leaving me behind.

The spell would be active for as long as I wish it and would bring me out of its mind immediately if I put an end to it.

"I'm ready" I tell them.

I take a few deep breaths and then dive into the water. I swim down as fast as I can and then stop as soon as I spot the stingray. I float around in the water close to it. It's about fifteen meters away from me. Surrounding it are hundreds of stingrays. 'It's beautiful' I think looking around in awe. I try not to get to close to it in case it flees again and causing disturbances all around the Indian ocean. We don't need Durban, Madagascar or any other place on the coastline of the African continent to get flooded by massive tidal waves.

I have to put my right wrist across my heart to activate the spell. I do it and then nothing happened. 'Damnit!' I curse, 'I have to get closer'.

I swim a few more meters closer, nothing has happened so far. I try again. I move my right wrist towards my slow beating heart, symbols meeting symbols and the spell activates.

'Argh' I groan in my head. I look around and I'm no longer looking at the stingray, I am still under the ocean, and literally standing on the bottom of the sea, but everything looks clearer and brighter. There are so many colours around me. I turn around and there is a naked man standing there, just staring, not just any man, a grey man, meaning his skin is grey and his hair is white. My eyes widen at the sight. 'What the…?' I think.

'Who are you?' I hear in my head.

I can't speak either, 'if this is the stingray, this must be how we have to communicate'.

'My name is Althea. I am here to ask you to have mercy on the Earth. I know about those horrid people and what they have done. But please, whatever you are doing will harm many innocents' I plead telepathically.

'Your people have harmed me. I have lived peacefully for many years. I have seen the destruction your people have caused and I left it alone. I have seen the harm done to my home and I let it go. I am angry, I will no longer let it go' I hear its voice projected in my mind.

I think of what he says and it's true, I have experienced pain, death and destruction. The past century the humans have over-populated the Earth, and have polluted the air, the lands, and the ocean. But generations change their ways, I have seen how people adapt, how cultures change, and it can still happen for all of us. I think of all I have experienced in my life and I choose my words carefully before speaking to it again,

'I know. People have done terrible things. But many people are innocent. It's the few people on Earth who like to cause destruction, who likes to cause ruin in everything they touch. They do not care. But I care. I care enough to come down here with you, to speak to you, even if you do frighten me. Even if I want to get as far away as possible from you. I care enough to fight for those people'

And all I get is silence. My headache worsens all of a sudden.

'You have lived a long life' it/he states.

'I have, yes, longer than most people'

'You know what has been done to me' he states.

'I…I know of the ones who hurt you. They have attacked me as well; they did terrible things to me and I thought I stopped them. I thought I killed all of them, until a young man came to me and told me about you. Please, I'll do my best to find these people and stop them, but do not harm those who have done nothing to harm you' I plead.

He is quiet and I start to get nervous again, the air feels stifling even if I can't really breathe here.

'What if you cannot stop those who hurt us?' he asks.

'Then I'll do my best to protect you. My friends and I, we are here to help you. I'll ask a few friends to set up some protections in this region. As well as a cloaking spell to aid you so that no one can find you. Once I leave your mind, I will go to them and they will do this for you. I'll come often to make sure that everything is still in order. But I will only protect you if you promise not to purposefully harm everyone' I tell him

'Very well. I give you this one chance. It is not my desire to hurt others but I will not be threatened again' he replies.

'Thank you, thank you' I repeat gratefully. My headache still here.

I place my left wrist over my heart to end the mind spell and I am back in the ocean staring at the giant stingray, and I am surrounded by hundreds of different fish now. There are a couple of sharks swimming around me. And it looks like there are thousands of different sea creatures surrounding the giant as well.

I can't breathe. My oxygen tank ran out of air. I try to swim up and reach the surface but I struggle to move due to oxygen deprivation. A great white shark swims towards me, its nose is pushed into my gut and I am pushed to the surface followed by the other fish and sharks. 'This doesn't feel creepy at all' I think sarcastically.

"There she is!" I hear a shout from afar. I feel really disorientated, like I have brain fog or something. I try to pull off my mask but it's difficult.

They bring the boat closer and I am pulled out of the water. They take my breathing mask off and now I know why I am feeling so disorientated, 'But I couldn't have been under that long'. They said that the oxygen tank would last for forty minutes to an hour. As a hybrid I can hold my breath for long periods of time, probably twenty to thirty minutes max before I need to breathe again. 'How long was I under there?'

"Althea, are you alright?" Marijke asks frantically.

"Yes" I croak out due to my dry, sore throat.

Arniel hands me some water to drink, "What happened?" he asks.

"I spoke to him. He won't attack but we have to protect it from now on" I tell them.

Hours later they finished all the protection and cloaking spells on Ray Ray and we left to go to our hotel. Apparently I was under the water for nearly three hours, even if it only felt like minutes. No wonder I was drowning and couldn't move. I practically died after the first hour and a half, over and over. At least I didn't feel most of it until I woke up after the mind link.

On our way there Johan speaks up emotionally, "We are so happy that you are okay. We thought we lost you. You were down there for so long but we waited, and waited. Just know that I consider you a close friend Althea Cullen and it would be a loss to the world if you weren't in it"

I tear up at what he said. He and I might've had our differences in this struggle but we came out as friends.

"Thank you Johan. I consider you a friend as well"

"The same here" Arniel falls into the conversation, "we started out as acquaintances and we end up as friends. This is a good end to our day"

I feel drained physically and mentally and I haven't had any blood in weeks. Everyone heads to their rooms respectively as soon as we got there, no one ate, everyone just went to bed and get in some needed rest. I fell asleep as soon as I hit my pillow.

**No one POV**

Althea, Marijke, Johan, Arniel and Deano all went to bed; they all slept for over twenty four hours. They were so tired over the weeks of hardships that they faced, that finally after many sleepless nights to save the world, did they all get their much needed rest.

Rest; the same could be said for the giant stingray, as it finally got the protection it needed, never to be bothered by anything unkind ever again. Neither Althea or the group of friends knew that the mind spell would create a permanent link between Althea and the Stingray, although, it won't be noticeable for years to come for either party unless in close proximity to one another.

And unknown to all except for fate herself, this particular group of friends combined with Althea's family will be brought together again in the future to stop the very terrors who started this all; the Scientists.

**Paul POV**

I missed Althea's call, she sent me vague message that she arrived safely. I tried to phone her but she didn't pick up. I messaged, and nothing, no answer. Not once during these few weeks has she done this. She is usually the first to call.

I pace around fighting the urge to phase immediately. I have to go to the leeches' house to see if they have heard anything.

I phase and run onto their land. I phase back behind one of the trees and get dressed in my shorts.

"Welcome back Paul" Carlisle says kindly. I crinkle my nose at the smell, 'at least my imprint smells normal-ish'.

"Hi. Have you heard from Althea? I'm worried about her. I tried to phone her but she isn't answering. I've been trying for hours" I say urgently.

He looks alarmed now, "No, I am afraid not. I haven't spoken to her in a few days. Please come in".

"What is it that I hear from the mutt?" the blonde girl vamp asks alarmed. The rest of them are here as well, even the Swan girl, the one Jake obsesses over.

"I'm sure she is fine. You know she has gone months and even years without speaking with us" Carlisle says uncertain. 'This doesn't sound good?'

"Carlisle, this is different. She has a mate now" Esme chirps in.

The mind reader is calling her now, "No answer either" he says.

"When was the last time you spoke to her?" Carlisle asks.

"Yesterday morning. She said she would phone me as soon as she arrived somewhere in Africa. I was on patrol during this time so she sent a message saying that she was safe" I tell them.

"Do you know where in Africa?" The mind reader asks.

"No, she never said. She kept everything vague. She normally sends me photos from the area though. I only have from Germany and some from the Philippines. She only said that she is close to solving the problem"

"Alice, do you see anything?" Carlisle asks the Seer.

"I'm looking. It's not usually easy for me to see her, never have been, but now I can't see anything pertaining to her. It could be due to the mating bond with Paul or it can be something else" She says gravely.

"And what can be 'Something else'? I hiss out, 'she better not be insinuating anything'.

"She is not dead. Now stop this, all of you. She is probably just too busy to answer any of our calls. Let's not worry unnecessary" Carlisle says, annoying me. 'Worry unnecessary? She is my imprint' I think.

"And she is our family, Althea is my sister. And if there is one thing you should know about her is that she is a survivor. So don't give up hope" The mind reader says.

'I can't lose her' I think to him.

"You won't lose her. She always comes home" he tells me.

Hours later and still nothing. Esme made me some food, the blonde one keeps commenting on how much I smell. Her mate, the big one that I nearly tore apart the other day challenged me to play video games with him to distract me.

I called Sam and let him know what is happening. I stayed the night with the Cullens in my imprint's room. It calmed me down somewhat. Jasper, the fighter offered to get my passport done for me. He took pictures of me and sent it in somewhere.

The next morning Esme made me some breakfast. For a vampire, she really is a good cook.

"I see her" I hear Alice in the other room say. She is in the kitchen within a second.

"What do you see?" I ask desperately.

"It's just a glimpse but she is sleeping in my vision" she says.

"Sleeping?!" I ask exasperated.

"It's at least something. It tells us she is alright" Rosalie, the blonde one says clearly worried.

Everyone looks worried.

"We are worried because she doesn't sleep often. She can go months without sleeping at a time. She sleeps a lot when she has been injured, and especially when she can't drink any blood. It helps her recover" Edward says.

My fears and worries over my imprint spike again.

"She will phone us when she wakes up" Alice says. "I can see her a little clearer now. It seems to be midday where she is at, still sleeping. I think she is in a hotel. She will wake up in about three hours it seems. I am trying to focus on our future instead of solely on hers, about how she phones us. We just need to send her a message to tell her to phone me when she wakes up" Alice says.

I sent the message to her and all we have to do is wait.


	16. Chapter 16

**Althea POV**

I struggle to open my eyes. I haven't felt this tired in a long time. I don't know how long I slept but it doesn't feel very long at all. After a few minutes of contemplating opening my eyes, I just do it.

It looks like it's almost night time by the position of the setting sun. It's twilight.

"Argh, I don't want to move" I say complain.

_I don't know how long I've been asleep. I need to call Paul._

I slowly get out of bed and go look through my backpack for my phone.

My eyes widen in surprise at not only the amount of time I've been asleep but also with the amount of calls and messages I received from everyone back home. _Oh no._

Paul sent a message that I should call Alice as she can't see anything when he is involved.

I take a deep breath in and out. 'This is not going to be fun. My mate and entire family couldn't get a hold of me. We haven't even booked a flight back to wherever we all are heading'.

I press the call button, "Althea! Are you okay?" I hear Alice's frantic voice.

"Hi Alice. I'm fine. I'm sorry for not answering my phone. I was busy yesterday" I tell her.

"What about the day before yesterday? What happened? Are you hurt? I had a vision of you sleeping. Everyone is here listening including a fuming Paul" she asks.

_The day before yesterday?,_ I think in confusion. _Oh yeah, I didn't realize I slept for so long. No wonder everyone is so worried._

"I'm not hurt. It's just been a long few weeks. I needed rest, that's all. But the good news is that I'm coming home soon. I just need to book a flight. I'll probably get a flight for tomorrow," I tell them.

"We are happy that you are safe daughter," my father says.

"Thank you father," I reply.

"Can I speak to Paul alone please?" I ask.

They hand him the phone.

"Hello Paul," I greet softly.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was? I had to come to your family for help," he says.

"I realize that. Everything is okay now. I'll be with you soon. We can go eat something and watch a movie when I come back," I said him.

"I can't wait. Please get home safe. I hate the idea of you getting hurt."

_Aww, my heart,_ I think joyously.

"I can't wait either. I'll call all of you in a few hours. I need to get something to eat and check on the others" I tell him.

"I'll hold you to that. Keep your phone with you" he says.

After the call I left to find the others. Deano was the only one awake besides myself.

"Hi Deano. How are you? How long did you sleep?" I ask him.

"Hi Althea. I'm good. I woke up this morning. I couldn't believe I slept for so long" He replies.

"I know. I haven't slept this good and this long in years" I tell him.

"I'm so relieved that the problem with the stingray is solved" he tells me.

"Me too, I just wish we could find those bastards who did this to him" I tell him concerned and angry.

"They'll come out soon enough and we'll stop them" he says putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Indeed we will".

I booked my flight for tomorrow afternoon. The others have woken up this evening as well and we all went to have a celebratory meal.

The next morning we all went to explore Durban. I did some shopping for everyone back home. I packed my bags and phoned Paul and my family letting them know that my flight will be over twenty seven hours with one layover in between. I know Paul is upset that the flight is so long but he needs to get over it. I'm just as desperate to see him as he is me.

I could at least call them from the flight.

Finally I arrived in Seattle. Paul came to pick me up. He was already waiting for me when I arrived. When I saw him I left my luggage on the floor and ran to him, hugging my body to his and gave him one big kiss on his lips. He is just as surprised about the kiss as I am but that didn't stop him from kissing me back.

After a minute we let go, headed to the car and to Forks.

"So what was the problem you had to help with? You said you would tell me once you came back" he said expecting an answer.

"You are right. I said that I would tell you. I want to tell my family as well. Can it wait until I can tell them as well? I don't want to repeat myself"

"Fine. Which country in Africa were you in at least?" he asks.

"South Africa" I reply.

"Oh, is the country actually named South Africa?" he asks.

"Yes, but technically it's called the Republic of South Africa. I was in the city of Durban. It's very humid there."

We continued to talk until we arrived at my home.

"Welcome home" Esme is the first to greet me. Everyone is here, including Bella.

We all shuffled inside.

"Before I start, I want to say that the problem is solved. And everyone involved is safe, including me" I state.

I take a deep breath and recount the tale of how it all started. Everyone was shocked beyond belief. 'I understand, a giant stingray that size shouldn't exist but it does'.

They were all angry about me risking my life facing the stingray with no guaranteed survival. I spared no details. I even told them how frightened I had been the first time I saw it and how frightened I was when I had to face it again.

Paul was listening intently as I spoke. His face was in a permanent frown.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Althea POV**

Paul hasn't left my side in two weeks. He is still really upset with the whole situation with the stingray. I understand where he is coming from but I need my space.

He left to go to the reservation, while I spent some time with my family.

"Thank God," Rose said, crinkling her nose in disgust.

"Hay! That's my mate you're talking about," I say in a snobbish tone

"He doesn't stink to you, but we're the ones that have to breathe in his stench. My clothes even reek of him and I don't even get close to him," she replies.

"Technically you don't have to breathe, so suck it up sister."

"You are terrible."

"Thank you Rosie," I say, fanning my hands in front of my face.

"It's not a compliment Thea," she said.

"Haters gonna hate," I reply with a smirk, "I'll take all the compliments I can."

"Haters gonna hate," my father says in distaste as he enters the living room, "Since when do you speak like this? In all my years I've never heard you use this much slang."

I laugh at his expression, "Like I said before dad, you've got to roll with the times. And besides, my boyfriend is from this time period, imagine me speaking to him in old English like we do sometimes, _Godne mergen Paulus._"

"I can imagine he would find it very difficult," he said dryly.

"Are you going hunting soon?" I ask.

"Esme, Edward and I are going in twenty minutes. Your brother is still with Bella and will be here in a few minutes."

"Can I join you?" I ask, which I rarely do. I never ask to go hunting with them, it's normally the other way around, which is why my father looks concerned.

"Of course you can. Are you thirsty?" he asks.

"Just a little."

Edward came a few minutes later and we soon left on our hunt. I really don't like hunting animals. My senses are heightened, and as such, so are my taste buds. Just eating meat grosses me out. I still do it if I have to, but still, it's gross.

We were a few miles from home when Edward and Esme split, leaving my father alone with me. We stopped running, sitting on a fallen tree.

"Are you alright Althea?" my father breaks the silence.

"I..I'm not sure," I reply feeling down.

"I'm here for you, you know that."

"I do, it's just, I'm still trying to figure things out you know. With Paul, our relationship. With everything that's happened the past few months. I'm so tired," I reply, wiping a tear from eye.

He pulls me into a hug, "I'm sorry that you have to go through this."

"I was so scared. Looking for that stingray, having my mind connected to his. Everything leading up to it. I felt so overwhelmed. And with Paul being so overprotective, I felt like I couldn't share all of the bad things with him. My emotions, everything. There are things that I've never even shared with you. I'm so tired," I say, sobbing into his chest.

"You are so strong my dear. Everything will be okay. You'll see, it'll get better."

"Thanks dad."

"Any time sweetheart," he says, getting up and pulling me with him in a run.

I spotted a deer and went for the kill, my father taking another one close by. After we were done, we walked back slowly.

"When we get back, I want you to get some sleep. Doctor's orders," my father says.

"Of course father," I say smiling.

"I know you don't want to tell me everything that has happened, but rest assured that I will listen, I might not like all of what you tell me but don't let that stop you from speaking about your past experiences," he says.

I take a deep breath, "I had a nightmare last week, the first one in a long time. I know I'm still recovering from what happened. It's more mental than physical. And I dreamt that all of you died, and I was made to look as each one of you was torn apart. I'm afraid to dream."

"Do you want me or Esme to stay with you when you try to sleep?" he asks. It's not the first time I've had nightmares, even though I barely sleep, my father stayed with me a few times to wake me up if he noticed any changes in my breathing or heartbeat.

"Please," I whisper and he nods.

"And Paul, does he know?" my father asks referring to my nightmare.

"No, I don't want to tell him. I care for him and he cares about me. But we're not at that place in our relationship yet. It took time for you and Esme to come together, it wasn't immediate, even though the attraction was, but you had to get to know one another, trust one another."

"I understand. Get to know him more, as much as I don't like the fact that he is a wolf, I am happy for you, we all are, even Rosalie despite her…statements of distaste," he says.

We met up with Edward and Esme a few minutes later, and Esme gave me a warm, loving hug. _Obviously she noticed I cried_. And Edward nods at my thought.

Esme and my father walks hand in hand, I'm on my father's other side with Edward walking next to me.

Edward gives me an 'Are you okay?' look.

_I'm fine Edward. I'm just being emotional today_. He raises his eyebrow, and I continue to think to him, _and every other day for the past two weeks_.

Bella and Edward are getting married soon, and Alice has been driving all of us insane with wedding ideas.

I warned Edward that if they slept together while she was still human, that the possibility of getting pregnant was high and that the mothers have never survived before. When he heard that, he couldn't believe it, but I showed him my memories of the human-vampire hybrids I met, that they aren't too different from me.

It led to a whole other discussion about what to do with Bella because she was adamant to be human on their wedding night.

"I think it's very selfish of her to expect that of you Edward. And would be stupid of you to give into her whims," I said to Edward, who looked angry at my words.

"She's not selfish!" he hisses at me.

"Oh please, she can be sweet, but she doesn't understand that you could lose control and kill her even before she gets pregnant. It's stupid. You've told her many times before that you could hurt her. I'm not even that strong and I once gave someone an innocent hug that fractured two ribs. I can't even imagine controlling myself in the _throes of passion_."

"She has a lot of faith in me," he says.

"She's eighteen. Of course she has a lot of faith in you. She's young and inexperienced. She has grown up in an era where the supernatural such as vampires are romanticized. She wants that epic love, I get it, and I really do. But being stupid about it is not the way to go," I tell him honestly.

"Argh, you're impossible to speak to. Stop calling her stupid," he groans out.

"No, I'm honest. If she demands this of you, then I will call her whatever I want. She's the one who blabbed about my secret to the wolves first. I still don't trust her fully and she's upset with me and YOU because you didn't tell her everything about me."

"Are you still upset about that? You're mated to one of the wolves, they know now, so you can't blame her anymore," he says, and I narrow my eyes at him. He realizes I am pissed.

"You're on thin ice Eddie. You came to me, knowing I would be honest. You needed my advice, knowing that I won't sugar coat it. I gave it to you. If you can't handle my opinion on the matter of an eighteen year old **_girl_** marrying _a __**century old vampire**_, then you can leave and speak to someone else.

"Ooh burn," I hear Emmett from inside the house whisper.

He turned around and left without a word.

Rosalie stood next to me within a second.

"He had to hear it," she comments, "he listens to you, and he has to see that Bella can't always get what she wants. He doesn't want to risk her life, but wants to keep her happy. Relationships aren't always about happy feelings, it's about working through the hard stuff together. Compromise where and when you have to, love unconditionally. It's not supposed to be one-sided. Uneven."

"Well said Rosie. She needs to be changed soon, regardless of her or his feelings on the matter. I won't let my family be put in danger because they decided to wait. Despite what they think, there is a deadline and the next time the Volturi come, our whole family will pay the price. She will be a great vampire one day, she feels insecure now because she is human (and a teenager). And that insecurity will still be there once they get married, and even after her change. As a couple, they need to work through it," I say to her.

She gives me a side hug and walks back into the house.

Edward did come back later that day and apologized for his behaviour, and I apologized for sounding so calloused. He knew that I cared for his happiness, but that I was still angry at Bella at the time, he knew Bella was insecure and set out to talk to her about it.

He had to make a choice, and Bella had to compromise on his decision.

"You'll see Edward, she'll be adamant on being with you while human, but you have to stick your ground. Be firm in this. Bring up your fears and if she brings up that blind faith she has in you, get across your point the reality of your situation. Your control is excellent, but during sex… not so much," I told him afterwards.

Bella was visibly upset the next time she came to visit, Edward did speak to her and she told him, 'I believe in you. I love you, I don't ask for much, this is all I ask for.'

_All I ask for my arse. My family was put in danger with the whole James fiasco because she ran away to meet the bastard. And not to mention the Victoria thing, which she didn't ask for, but my whole family protected her, Edward protected her. And now she wants to put the whole family in danger again just to have sex as a human. This is horrible_.

Once Edward spoke to her, she left for the reservation to speak to Jacob. And clearly with my psychology degree, along with marriage counselling, I can see that she wants to punish Edward for his choices until she gets her way. Women normally give the silent treatment and men can be just as bad as punishment for the other person instead of speaking about it.

The joys of being in a relationship. I'm not perfect by any shot, I mean, look at me and Paul. We're not doing too well or too terrible. We're getting along so far.


End file.
